<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Life So Changed by StarkTony1</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636113">A Life So Changed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkTony1/pseuds/StarkTony1'>StarkTony1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The AU's [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mallorca Files (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arranged Marriage, F/M, Idiots in Love, Max is a feminist, Max is a poor boy, THE AU NOBODY ASKED FOR BUT ITS HAPPENING ANYWAY, Titanic - Freeform, Titanic AU, YES THAT'S THE ONE, max of course falls head over heels for miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:43:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkTony1/pseuds/StarkTony1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Where Max and Miranda are on the Titanic and fall in love as they should do because they are bloody wonderful together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Max Winter/Miranda Blake</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The AU's [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. An Ocean of Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Updates at LEAST once a day because it's the anniversary of the Titanic sinking and I'm a sucker for Titanic. Almost EVERYTHING that is described in the Titanic, the rooms and staircase for instance are completely true. If you want to find out if a fact or something has piqued your interest drop me a message!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda Blake had everything she could possibly wish for, and more. Her family were an old Welsh mining family, and back in the richer days of mining, they had money and riches beyond anyone’s wildest beliefs. She had dresses, jewels and artwork from the finest artists. She was given gifts wherever she went and walked around with a constant smile on her face.</p><p>But she wasn’t happy.</p><p>She was engaged to a man who thought women were best kept in the kitchen. A man who thought women should be seen and not heard. But he was monied and that was where her family had felt priorities lay. His name was <em>Niall Taylor</em>, Irish but with a dream to rule the world.</p><p>Keeping the money and the name going.</p><p>She had been bought a first-class ticket by her fiancée for the world’s greatest ship; the <em>Titanic</em>.</p><p>“Darling, isn’t it wonderful?”</p><p>Miranda looked at her fiancée and then at the ship before her.</p><p>“I suppose”.</p><p>“These tickets cost me <em>darling</em>, show a bit more gratitude” he replied in her ear, holding her elbow tightly. He pulled her towards the entrance for first-class. His butler, Christian, left to order the luggage with the Titanic’s stewards.</p><p>Miranda looked around at the mass of people, some already waving from the ships deck. She smiled sadly, this was the last time she would be in England for potentially a long long time. Niall had wanted to see the <em>New World</em> before coming back over to a Spanish Island, <em>Mallorca </em>to spend their days.</p><p>She couldn’t even speak Spanish.</p><p>“Darling, people are watching, smile wider” Niall hissed at her, “I want my wife to smile and look pretty”.</p><p>“Not your wife yet” she replied but changed her smile, being stuck on a ship with Niall was steadily becoming a nightmare, and she hadn’t even gotten on the blasted thing yet! She tilted her head up to the sun, her hat shielded it from her eyes, and she found herself sighing.</p><p>“Something the matter?”</p><p>“Just nervous” she said softly, “I’ve never been away before”.</p><p>“My dear you’ll find it a remarkable thing to be at sea”, he nudged her up the ramp, “and besides, by the end of the year we’ll be in Mallorca with a baby on the way”.</p><p>Miranda gulped and felt her insides seize up, “y-yes…” the prospect of being on board the Titanic and being thousands of miles away from the dreams and ideas Niall had, was suddenly very welcoming.</p><hr/><p>Max Winter was a charmer. A man who had nothing, yet he never stopped smiling. He was sat in Joan’s bar. He was trying his luck at winning a bit more money for his voyage across the ocean to America.</p><p>He had come from Germany two years prior, to England and now with a chance to see America he wanted to chance his luck in a new country. The only problem was, to leave now would forfeit the £5 he had placed on Joan’s daughter Carmen winning an arm wrestle against Rico.</p><p>And that was meant to get him a place to stay in America and some food.</p><p>If he lost it he’d be ruined before he could make it.</p><p>He tapped his foot as he looked at the time, “come on Carmen” he breathed, and she glared at him from the corner of her eyes.</p><p>“Shut up you idiota” Joan said and smacked his head, “or we will make you late for your precious ship”</p><p>Max yelped and rubbed his head, “sorry Carmen”.</p><p>Carmen rolled her eyes and focused on Rico. His money lay on the table, £5 stood between him and a new secure life.</p><p>He looked at the clock on the wall, he had ten minutes.</p><p>There was a sudden and raucous cheer. He looked back and saw Rico hanging his head and Carmen holding the money in her hands.</p><p>He smiled and hugged her tightly, “thank you!” he kissed her cheeks and took the money she had won for him.</p><p>“I’m going to America!” he laughed and twirled her around.</p><p>“Max put me down” Carmen laughed and hit his chest.</p><p>Rico slapped his shoulder, “no mate, Titanic goes to America in five minutes”.</p><p>Max looked at the clock, “Scheisse!” he breathed and grabbed his ticket and the money, “thank you thank you” he said and hugged them both, “Thank you!” he yelled and ran out of the door. Sprinting towards the ship that loomed before him.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>As the ship disembarked and the passengers waved, Miranda wanted nothing more than to wave with them. But Niall had wanted them to sit with the other first-class passengers in the first-class lounge, thinking themselves above such trivial moments.</p><p>“Darling I am going for a smoke” Niall announced, “with the others” as though she knew their names or cared for their names.</p><p>She looked at him, “but we’ve just –“</p><p>“You see fellas, my darling is already wanting to spend her time with me”.</p><p>Miranda felt heat rushing to her cheeks, that was certainly not what she had meant and now Niall was embarrassing her in front of his gang of new-monied friends. Niall, despite appearances was old money. And he loved to show it, but he did not forget that once upon a time his family were upstarts. His friends often consisted of new money or perhaps charismatic men who could charm a lady into giving him her fortune.</p><p>Well this was one lady who would not be charmed by a flash of notes nor a sparkle of jewellery.</p><p>“Fine” she said through gritted teeth, “if you are going to smoke I am going to wave” she stood up and brushed her dress down.</p><p>Niall glared at her but said nothing, he grabbed a cigar from his jacket pocket and smirked, “don’t stand too close to the crowds darling, you never know who lurks”.</p><p>Miranda’s smile faltered at his thinly veiled threat, “of course dear”.</p><p>Niall nodded and followed his friends into the smoking room. Miranda glared at his retreating form and moved towards the decks, bumping into Christian as she did.</p><p>“Miss! I am sorr-“</p><p>“It’s fine Christian” she said, “I wasn’t looking…you hear to make sure I keep my distance?”</p><p>Christian looked guilty and nodded, “Mr Taylor he pays me a good fee…sends it all across to my family back in Germany. Sorry, perhaps a tea in your rooms?”</p><p>Miranda sighed and looked at the men, women and children all waving. So close and yet so far.</p><p>“That would be lovely Christian…thank you” her eyes met those of a tall man with curly hair, he grinned at her before offering a wave.</p><p>She smiled softly back and waved back.</p><p>
  <em>At least she got to wave once.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>As he drew back from waving at the crowds below, his eyes caught a blonde-haired woman emerging from the first-class dining room.</p><p>Her face lit up his heart as she gently smiled at her surroundings, that was, until she bumped into a short man and her expression changed into an unreadable blank gaze.</p><p>He watched her converse with the man before she looked sad and nodded once. The short man wandered off and she took a look at the passengers near him, waving and laughing. He caught her eye and grinned, waving.</p><p>She smiled and waved back before following the shorter man.</p><p>“No use staring at them folk son, first class they got no time for us”.</p><p>Max looked at the speaker.</p><p>“Charlie King” he held his hand out.</p><p>“Max Winter” he grinned and shook the hand.</p><p>“Nice to meet you Max…but like I said, that lot up there don’t know how to have fun. See how they refuse to wave as though we are peasants for doing so”.</p><p>“Yeah” Max agreed but looked in the direction of the mysterious woman, “they don’t”.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Leaving Port</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>NB Each chapter should more or less be a song title from the Titanic soundtrack, so if you fancy a backing track...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda sat sipping her tea as Christian unloaded their items. She had been ordered to sit on a seat and not help. Something she was finding increasingly difficult to not do. Especially as the room was so lavishly decorated, she wanted to explore what it had to offer.</p><p>The compartment was at least two rooms, with a small side bathroom for her to freshen up in. Niall was staying in the rooms opposite giving her the entire place to herself. That much was a blessing. Christian unfolded her dresses and hung them in the wardrobe. He was gentle with each one, as though they would crumble if he moved it too fast.</p><p>“These dresses are magnificent” he said.</p><p>Miranda looked at them, “mmm” in truth she cared little for them. Dresses were far too constricting, and she couldn’t even think about the corsets she had to get into. She preferred being in her brothers’ rougher work clothing. The trousers gave her such confidence and the ability to run around. The dresses made her feel like a doll on display. She shrank back in her seat, “Christian, in my smaller bag there are some books, would you fetch them for me?”</p><p>Christian nodded and moved to the bag, “are you reading anything good?”</p><p>“Mary Wollstonecroft” Miranda replied, “it is about the vindications for the right for women to vote”.</p><p>Christian smiled, “sounds like a wonderful fantasy”.</p><p>“Or perhaps the start of a revolution. I would love to vote”.</p><p>“Miss-“</p><p>“Miranda” she said, “please, just call me Miranda?”</p><p>“Mr Taylor won’t allow it”.</p><p>“But he’s not here is he” she said, “let me have this Christian? Just a little bit of humanity, my name is Miranda not Miss”.</p><p>Christian shrugged, “okay then, Miranda” he smiled, “you were saying about voting?”</p><p>“Women should be allowed to vote, don’t you think? We all should be allowed, it shouldn’t be down to the likes of Niall to determine our fates and futures. She puts forward good views and messages. Emmeline Pankhurt and Emily Davison have done wonderful things for the movement already. Just think Christian, in a few short years being able to make a choice about the future all on your own!”</p><p>“It’s a subject you are passionate on then?”</p><p>She nodded, “very much so”.</p><p>“My sisters would love you” Christian said, “they are outspoken and want only good things for the future”.</p><p>Miranda smiled and pulled out her dog-eared copy of <em>A</em> <em>Vindication of the Rights of Women, </em>“I quite agree”.</p><p>Christian looked at her reading, “Mr Taylor might want you to stop being the woman you are but I don’t think he’ll succeed”.</p><p>Miranda grinned wryly, “whatever do you mean that?” before sipping her tea causing Christian to grin.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Max found his room, with one bag to his name he had hoped for a single room and no roommates. But to his misfortune he was sharing with three other men.</p><p>“Max Winter” he greeted and shook each man’s hand.</p><p>“Kurt Muller”</p><p>“Jens”.</p><p>“Jacob Holt”.</p><p>He sat on the top bunk that had been left for him, “so fellas, where are we all from? I’m from Munich originally, but then I moved to England and now it’s on to America!” he grinned.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Miranda hid her book underneath her pillow, not wanting Niall to discover the text as Christian added warmth to the open grate. She didn’t want to admit it but she was slightly cold. The open windows and sea were certainly a drop colder than she had expected. But it was a small reminder of the cold nights in Aberystwyth. Huddled up with family and books. Warm drinks and happy faces.</p><p>For the first time in a long while, Miranda felt a piercing loss for her family. She had only been 7 when her mother had died unexpectedly and her father remarried. Within a year, she was expected to smile politely and dress in dresses and finery. No longer a child, now a little lady in waiting. Waiting for a man to offer a proposal and take her off her fathers’ hands.</p><p>Her time at home was no longer peaceful and huddled up with her books and family.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>She blinked out of her memory and looked at Christian, “sorry I was lost in my head for a moment there”.</p><p>Christian nodded, “I was asking if you would like to change for mid-afternoon break at the Verrandah café?”</p><p>Miranda nodded, “the pale pink dress will do”.</p><p>“Mr Taylor has sent word he is at the Turkish Baths with Lucian and Carlos” Christian continued and moved to the wardrobe, “so I am to escort you to the café and attend to your every need”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and looked out at the window, to the sea and soft blur that was England.</p><p>“We’ll be at Cherbourg by nightfall” Christian said, “then onto Queenstown by early morning…then America by the end of the week”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “then Mallorca by the end of the year” she muttered darkly, “with a baby on the way”.</p><p>“The world has it’s ways and we should not change them”.</p><p>“Maybe there should be a shake-up then, rules and orders broken” she replied, “not every woman is raised to be bred. Some want to better the world with words not children”.</p><p>“Don’t let Mr Taylor hear you say that…maybe better the world with both...keep both parties happy”.</p><p>“I doubt I’ll ever be truly happy Christian” she replied and turned to face him before taking the dress from him and moving behind the screen. As best as she could, she unlaced her dress and stepped out of it. Longing to relinquish the corset too but she knew she had to keep it on for a few hours more.</p><p>She stepped into the pink dress and Christian laced it up for her, it was laced slightly looser than the first dress had been.</p><p>She looked at him and he winked, “some rules can be relaxed at sea…sunhat for a walk around the deck later on?”</p><p>Miranda looked at the large hat and nodded, “I guess it’ll be a strong sun despite the chill”.</p><p>“Never been at sea before have you?”</p><p>“No…I’ve read about it though”.</p><p>“Reading is nothing” he laughed, “if you do not live Miranda”.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>To walk around the boat deck and hear the sounds of children laughing was music to Max’s ears. He’d spent a few hours exploring what the ship had to offer, a swimming pool, tennis courts, Turkish baths, dining rooms that were the size of the house he had grown up in, let alone being able to fit on a ship!</p><p>He had briefly spotted that the ship had a library before he thought it best to leave some rooms for the rest of the week, instead he opted to go walk around the deck. Taking in the views and to hear the sounds of thousand or so people hoping for a better life in America.</p><p>He sat on a bench beside the covered lifeboats and looked out at the gulls flying. They were nearing France and what had been a blur hours before was now a more defined port, he was closer to his home than he had been in years.</p><p>There wasn’t much there for him anymore, but it would always be his home. The place his <em>Mama und Papa</em> were buried.</p><p>He pulled out a book from his bag and breathed in the sea air, it was a fine day but a little bit overcast. The sun only just there beyond the clouds. Tilting his head down to his book, he felt a warmth on his neck from the afternoon sun, it wasn’t enough to burn but enough to warm him.</p><p>It wasn’t long before he was consumed in his book.</p><p>“I had believed I would be the only one on this ship reading Wollstonecroft and yet here you are”.</p><p>Max looked and smiled wide; it was the woman he had waved at earlier.</p><p>“Hello”.</p><p>“Hello” she greeted, “are you enjoying your book?”</p><p>“I am, my name-“</p><p>“Miranda! Miranda there you are! <em>Darling</em> I thought we agreed to meet in the Verrandah”.</p><p>Miranda turned to face a grey haired man, tanned as though he had spent a lifetime in the sun despite the Irish tilt to his words.</p><p>“Niall” Miranda said, “I’m just taking a walk around the deck. You can’t expect me to be cooped up all day and night on this ship”.</p><p>“You are my fiancée, I can expect a lot from you without saying a word” Niall replied and looked at Max, he spied the book and snorted. “Suffragette” before gripping Miranda’s elbow, “come now darling, before this man gives you any ideas”.</p><p>Before she could protest, Niall all but dragged her along the deck and into the Verrandah Café. She cast a glance back at Max and he stood, ready to help if she needed.</p><p>She turned her head to stop herself from making a scene worse than Niall was.</p><p>“What a dick” Max breathed as the woman, Miranda, was dragged away. He shook his head, before he put his book away, “suffragette” he said, letting the word fall in place on his tongue, “rather be a suffragette than a dick” before he stood, stretching.</p><p>Smiling at the sun he rested his arms against the side of the boat as it docked comfortably at Cherbourg.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Never an Absolution</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie, his new friend from before had found him on the deck area and dragged him down to third deck and towards a woman who was singing <em>La Bohème</em>. Despite having no money, the passengers in third class were some of the happiest people he’d ever met. Which was often the case, happiness prevailed where loss was most often prevalent. He sipped the drink offered to him as they basked in the voice of the woman.</p><p>His mind wandered to Miranda and her fiancée, the grumpy Irishman. He hoped she was having a good time; she was first class so she could afford entertainment and probably had her own personal singer. But perhaps not, if her fiancée was anything to go by.</p><p>He excused himself after an hour or so of listening to the woman singing. He snuck a bread roll from the third-class dining area and took it with him up to the top deck.</p><p>When the boat had left Cherbourg in the early evening of the second day, he allowed the new passengers the chance to say goodbye to their lives whilst he had watched from a distance, privately saying hello to his Motherland as he did. Now the night was clear and deck free from the ships passengers he felt a calm rush over him.</p><p>He ate the roll as he strolled, looking around at the passengers dining, oblivious to the man walking around.</p><p>The crew were working both above and below to ensure that the Titanic travelled safely through the night.</p><p>The clear night and calm waters would’ve been a worry to him but it was so peaceful that he didn’t care.</p><p>It couldn’t be more beautiful.</p><p>He leaned over the rails and looked down at the waters below. He could just about see the deck below A Deck and saw lights fluttering all the way down the ship. Some even lit up the lights below the waters.</p><p>In short, he might be a thousand miles from home, but this was just as wonderful.</p><p>A figure ran past him. Knocking into him as they sped along the deck.</p><p>Max looked at them go, running fast towards the stern of the ship. It took him a second to realise who it was and what she was about to do.</p><p>His legs moved before he knew it, running down after her.</p><p>“Hey! HEY!”</p><p>Miranda had already put her feet on the railings and had worked her way over to the other side when he caught up with her.</p><p>“Damn you are fast” Max panted.</p><p>“What? Look go away! This doesn’t concern you!”</p><p>“I think it does. You see I’ve seen you. Therefore, if you jump, I’ll know and then I am involved”.</p><p>“Well just turn away then!”</p><p>Max laughed, “nope. I am Max by the way. Max Winter. We met –“</p><p>‘Yes, I remember! It wasn’t that long ago” she snapped.</p><p>“Good” he smiled, “so what is your name?”</p><p>“Miranda Blake” she said, “look Max, just go I don’t need anyone’s help, least of all yours”.</p><p>“Well that’s hardly fair. You don’t know me and I am just here helping”.</p><p>“I don’t need help”.</p><p>“Sure you do. It’s a cold night, you’ve been crying and you are very Welsh when you are angry”.</p><p>“What’s me being Welsh got to do with anything?!”</p><p>Max shrugged, “nothing…I’ve been to Wales once. It was very wet so I guess you’d be at home if you did jump. Which I should say I would advise against doing”.</p><p>“Why the bloody hell shouldn’t I jump!? I’m engaged to a man I barely know who is the absolute opposite of everything I wanted. I’m <em>still </em>in my bloody corset and it hurts. I hate my life and I am barrelling towards children and being seen and not heard and I just don’t want that. So excuse me if I want to JUMP OFF THE BLOODY BOAT”.</p><p>“It’s a ship” Max said and she groaned in frustration.</p><p>“Please just leave me alone. I want to jump in peace”.</p><p>“Nope” he smiled, “for one thing, I don’t know anything about corsets so I don’t know what pain you are in but as for the jumping part? It’s freezing”</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“Well I don’t like the cold”.</p><p>“What’s that got to do with anything?!”</p><p>“Well I you jump; I’m going to have to jump after you. This time of year? That water is below freezing, hits you very hard and fast. Cold seeps into your bones…and in that dress? Probably pull you under too. You won’t die quick you’ll die slow and painfully. That’s if the propeller doesn’t get you”.</p><p>“Good”.</p><p>“But surely you don’t want me to die too? We just met”.</p><p>Miranda sniffed, “I don’t want to live this existence Max! That doesn’t mean you have to die too!”</p><p>Max held his hand out to her, “your life is yours to live. Yours to decide what to do with it, but please, don’t end it here. It’s a beautiful night. To be marred by such a tragedy would taint it”.</p><p>She looked at him and then at his outstretched hand, she sniffed, “i-I don’t want to die”.</p><p>“Nobody does” he agreed.</p><p>She turned around slowly and looked at his hand.</p><p>“Be careful of your dress” he said.</p><p>She looked at it and saw it had caught on her shoe.</p><p>“I could’ve fallen” she said.</p><p>He nodded, “take my hand and I’ll lift you over here. I’ll keep a hold of you so you don’t slip <em>Schatz</em>”</p><p>“Schatz? That’s German yeah?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m from Munich”.</p><p>“Aberystwyth” she said and took his hand. She smiled at him as his hand touched her waist, “How did you know it was German?”</p><p>“Niall’s butler; Christian, he’s German. He sometimes mutters German at Niall”.</p><p>Max smiled, “maybe I could teach you some German so you can speak to him in German. Place your other hand on my shoulder okay?”</p><p>She bit her lip, “i-I can’t move it Max…I’m scared I’ll let go and fall”.</p><p>“I won’t let you fall I promise. I’ve got you” he smiled at her, “I’ve got you” he repeated, “keep looking at my eyes Schatz”.</p><p>She looked at him, he squeezed her hand as she slowly placed her hand on his shoulder. He placed his hand on her waist, “slowly put one foot on the rail okay?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and gripped his shoulder as she put her foot on the rail. He smiled at her and she smiled back, “ready? Now hold tight to me”.</p><p>She did as he said and he lifted her over, she bent her legs allowing him to lift her over the rail. She stumbled as her feet hit the floor of the deck and Max fell backwards. They landed in a heap, but she was on the deck, safe from the sea.</p><p>He kept his hand in hers and laughed, “okay maybe we sort of fell”.</p><p>She chuckled and looked at him, “you saved my life”.</p><p>He smiled at her, “of course”.</p><p>“Miranda! Miranda there you are! Niall has been looking everywhere for you”.</p><p>“I doubt that” Miranda muttered to Max who smiled and let her hand go, helping her to stand as Christian came running over.</p><p>“Are you okay?”</p><p>“We just bumped into each other” he shrugged, “I wasn’t looking where I was going”.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>“I’m fine Christian”.</p><p>“Ahh Christian” Max grinned, “Aus welchem Teil Deutschlands kommst du?”</p><p>Christian blinked but smiled, “Munich…du?”</p><p>“Munich” Max smiled.</p><p>Christian nodded, “who are you serving?”</p><p>“I’m sorry?”</p><p>“Serving. Who’s butler are you?”</p><p>“I am my own man my friend. Thankfully for Miranda here…I don’t think she’d want the two of us conversing in German as she takes a stroll”.</p><p>Miranda smiled at Max and he grinned, “Gute Nacht Blake”</p><p>“Gute Nacht Winter” she replied with a small smile.</p><p>“I knew you’d be good at German” he whispered to her and smiled before nodding to Christian.</p><p>“Wait!” Miranda said and moved to him, taking his hand in hers, “dine with us. Please. Dine with us tomorrow night? Niall takes his meals into the smoking lounge so it’ll be just me on my own. Hardly fair to take a whole table and I don’t know many names. Except for the Astors and well…” she trailed off, “please”.</p><p>Max nodded.</p><p>“Uhm Miranda I don’t think-“ Christian started.</p><p>“Rules are meant to be relaxed at sea yes? Well I demand Max dines with me tomorrow”.</p><p>Christian sighed, “if Niall finds out”.</p><p>“Well he’s not going to” she snapped.</p><p>“Sie ist eine verlobte Frau. Fick sie nicht” Christian said to Max.</p><p>“Speaking a language the lady cannot understand is not very gentlemanly Christian” Max chided, “I know she is engaged. Although there is no ring” he said and held Miranda’s hand up, “and oversight on her fiancées part I am sure”.</p><p>Miranda blushed at Max’s touch before Christian pulled her back.</p><p>“Come on now Miranda…before Niall realises where you are”.</p><p>Max winked at her, “Gute Nacht Miranda” he smiled, “I’ll see you tomorrow”.</p><p>“The Grand Staircase at 11” she ordered.</p><p>He smiled and nodded, “11 on the dot.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Max spent his second night on the Titanic dreaming about Miranda. About the way when yelling she turned super Welsh. How he had learnt more about her in a 2-minute argument than he had learnt about his friend Rico in the year he had known him.</p><p>He rolled over and smiled, tomorrow couldn’t come any quicker.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TRANSLATIONS </p><p>Aus welchem Teil Deutschlands kommst du? - What part of Germany are you from?</p><p>Sie ist eine verlobte Frau. Fick sie nicht - She is an engaged woman. Don't fuck her</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Promise Kept Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DOUBLE UPDATE OF THE DAY!! </p><p>UPDATE 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda stood waiting at the bottom of the staircase; she had gotten there ten minutes early. Nervous and scared of being caught by Niall she had opted to use her sunhat. Shielding her features from anyone.</p><p>Of course, that meant she might miss Max, so she clutched her book tightly, hoping the reference would make him look at her.</p><p>Someone nudged her side, “I didn’t think I would find anyone else reading Wollstonecroft and yet here you are”.</p><p>Miranda looked up at Max and smiled.</p><p>“Woah who put the shield on your head?” he laughed and tilted it up so he could look into her eyes, “I much prefer seeing your eyes”.</p><p>Miranda took it off and held it against her, “would you like to take a walk with me? We can make fun of all these people and you can teach me German”.</p><p>Max nodded, “sure I would” he held out his arm for her and she looped it with her own.</p><p>He smiled, “so Miranda…did you sleep well?”</p><p>“I did…I thought being on sea would make me feel sick and not sleep but it’s having the opposite effect”.</p><p>“Doesn’t Wales have boats?”</p><p>“This is a ship” she reminded him with a wry grin.</p><p>Max laughed, “you know I don’t care for your cheeky attitude Miss Blake”.</p><p>Miranda smiled and squeezed his arm gently, “I’m just stating a fact”.</p><p>Max smiled and they walked up the staircase together, moving past couples who looked at the pair with disgust. Apparently, a well-dressed woman and a scruffy man couldn’t be seen together, least of all being touching.</p><p>Max shot them all a pleasant grin before narrowly avoiding a woman.</p><p>“Max!” Miranda laughed and pulled him close, “sorry Molly” she said to the woman. She laughed, “oh no problem dear, this your beau Niall?”</p><p>“This is Max” she said, “he uhm, he and I met last night”.</p><p>Molly nodded, “well be careful dear. Folks here love a gossip. No doubt they’ll be lapping you two up a treat. If you care for afternoon tea at three, I’ll be glad for the company of you both”.</p><p>“Thank you” Miranda stated, “that sounds lovely”.</p><p>Max nodded, “It does Ma’am”.</p><p>“Oh call me Molly, everybody else does” she grinned, “we’ll soon be departing from Ireland and then it’s onwards to home”.</p><p>“Whereabouts are you from?” Max asked.</p><p>“Oh Missouri originally, but I plan to move to New York once we arrive, my JJ wants to stay in the city”.</p><p>Miranda smiled, “and your children?”</p><p>“Oh they’re in Colorado, I came over here for a business trip and thought it such a treat to set sail on the great Titanic” she grinned, “oh now I mustn’t bore you. Have a good day”.</p><p>“Thank you…we shall look forwards to afternoon tea” she smiled.</p><p>“As will I dear” she replied and walked down the staircase.</p><p>“Who was that?” Max whispered as they walked down the promenade deck.</p><p>“Margaret Brown, everyone calls her Molly. She married for love” Miranda replied, adding the last bit softly.</p><p>“I thought everyone married for love” Max said.</p><p>“Not everyone is allowed that luxury” she replied, “Daddy’s money ran out and the new wife wants me gone” Miranda said bitterly.</p><p>“And you are not allowed to live on your own?”</p><p>“I’m 21 Max. I should be married by now with at least a baby”.</p><p>“And what do you want to be?” he asked sensing underneath it all, Miranda was a very complex woman.</p><p>“Happy” she settled on, “I want to go on those marches in London. The ones the suffragettes are doing”.</p><p>“I saw a few of those. The ladies are fierce and I would not want to be on the wrong side”.</p><p>“So you think I should be given the right to vote?”</p><p>“Of course. Miranda, I think if you put your mind to it you could be whatever you wanted to be. Do whatever you want to do”.</p><p>Miranda sighed, “life is not that simple Max. I’ve got to marry Niall once we land in America and then it’s off to Mallorca to live”.</p><p>“Mallorca? Why there?”</p><p>“Niall wants to live his life in the sun and build vineyards”.</p><p>“Well, I like the idea of wine but is that it? He doesn’t want to make a difference in the world?”</p><p>“And what is it that you do?” she asked.</p><p>Max laughed and shrugged, “I worked in a bar. Being an immigrant from Germany didn’t exactly allow me to do much when I could barely understand the language”.</p><p>“But what would you like to do?” she pressed as they walked out into the open deck.</p><p>“I would like to be a police officer” Max said after a pause, “protect people and let them be happy. It’s that or be a writer. I like to write”.</p><p>“If I could have a career I would’ve liked to be an officer”.</p><p>“You still can” Max said, “you could be one of the first. Miranda Blake, officer. Don’t mess with her because she is Welsh”.</p><p>Miranda laughed, “Max” she clutched him and shook her head, “don’t joke about things like that”.</p><p>“It’s not a joke. Today we sail on the Titanic, who knows what will happen next week” he said, “I hope to be in New York in a home all of my own. Although I only have £5 to my name”.</p><p>“Trying your luck at a New World?”</p><p>“Trying yes” he agreed and smiled, “that is all we can do in this world. We can try and we can hope”.</p><p>“I hope something nasty happens to Niall” Miranda said bitterly, “I didn’t mean that” she suddenly said, looking around quickly.</p><p>“Sure you did” he laughed and made her face him, “but it is just me who heard. You have a right to be bitter over what is happening in your life, as long as you remember you don’t have to marry him. You can land in America and become a new woman. Officer Miranda Blake”.</p><p>“I can’t” she said looking down, “h-he’s giving my family a down payment. £100 is the sum of my existence”.</p><p>“Wow” he said, “maybe I should marry him”.</p><p>She shoved his side, “it’s not a joke Max”.</p><p>“I know” he said, “and it is terrible…but surely, your family would-“</p><p>“My family are broke Max. Niall bought everything, my dresses, my jewels, my books. The paintings in the safe, the money in my purse. He owns me before I’m even married to him”. She looked away as tears escaped her eyes, “now you see why I wanted to jump”.</p><p>Max sighed and rubbed her shoulder, “I see… so this is your last week as a relatively free woman”.</p><p>“It is” she said and looked at him, “i-I don’t have any way out”.</p><p>Max nodded, “then together we will have the time of our lives on this <em>ship</em>”.</p><p>She smiled softly, “you’d want to spend your time on this ship…with me?”</p><p>“Of course. There are many wonders in this world Miranda and this ship and you are just two of them”.</p><p>Miranda laughed at his words before realising he was serious, “Max-“</p><p>“I have met many people Miranda and you are by far the best of them”.</p><p>Miranda rolled her eyes but found in his eyes no joke, “thank you” she said softly.</p><p>“You don’t need to thank me Schatz” he grinned.</p><hr/><p>It was midday on the 12<sup>th</sup> April and Miranda was wandering about the ship with a man who was definitely not her fiancée, and she was the happiest she had been in a long long time. Max had told her all about his childhood, about growing up in Munich. His parents who had lost so much and yet never let it get them down. His brothers who had all died of fever.</p><p>He had nearly succumbed to it himself but luck had sent him thriving on. He told her about Carmen and Rico. About how Joan had told him if he wanted Carmen he would have to prove himself a worthy son but Carmen only had eyes for Rico. So Max had found himself with a brother and a sister all over again. In the midst of his grief for his own family, he had found himself another one.</p><p>The way he told the stories about the bar in Southampton had Miranda picturing it so vividly they might as well be there themselves instead of onboard the Titanic.</p><p>“Whereabouts in Wales is that uhm, I don’t want to mispronounce your home…Aberstwith?”</p><p>Miranda laughed, “Aberystwyth” she said, “Aber”.</p><p>“Aber”</p><p>“Rist”</p><p>“Rist”</p><p>“With”.</p><p>“With…Aberystwyth” he smiled.</p><p>“Perfect” she grinned, “its along the coast towards the edge of Wales. You see that’s Ireland there and then that little blur there” she pointed out at the two blurs in the distance. The Titanic had been going at speed and so when they had left Ireland it hadn’t taken long for it to nearly disappear. There was still a blur on the horizon though, two blurs as Miranda pointed out.</p><p>“That is Wales… Aber is there”.</p><p>She took his hand in hers and guided it so he could see where she was meaning.</p><p>He smiled, “maybe I will visit it one day…after America I will go to Aberystwyth”.</p><p>“I think you’d like it. It’s a very family town. Everyone knows everyone”.</p><p>“I like that” Max smiled at her. She grinned back, finding herself smiling real smiles in Max’s company as oppose to the false ones she was so used to displaying.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>Miranda turned and saw Christian watching them.</p><p>“Christian i-I”</p><p>“Would you like your shawl?”</p><p>He held it up and offered her and Max a smile. Miranda took the shawl and placed it neatly across her shoulders.</p><p>“Will you tie it?” she asked Max as a small wind threatened to blow it to the sea.</p><p>He nodded and took the two ends, tying it slowly, conscious Christian was watching their display. He let the knot rest at her clavicle, and he smiled, “there”.</p><p>“Thank you. And thank you Christian” she said.</p><p>“Be careful with your walks Miranda. Niall has eyes”.</p><p>“I would’ve thought you were reporting back to him anyway” she said pointedly, “so whatever I do is going to be reported back to him regardless”.</p><p>Christian shrugged, “Pass auf sie auf”.</p><p>Max nodded, “ja natürlich” before smiling at her, “did you know there’s a library on the ship?”</p><p>“There is?!”</p><p>Max smiled and led her away from Christian. There was more to this German man than he was letting on. But for now, he was content to be in Miranda’s company, who was not at all how he expected a first-class passenger to be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TRANSLATIONS:</p><p>Pass auf sie auf - Take care of her<br/>ja natürlich - yes of course</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Promise Kept Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>part 2! Enjoyyyyy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At 3PM, after spending an hour or so in the library followed by another hour of walking the deck, they arrived at Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown’s rooms. Miranda tentatively knocked and the lady herself opened it.</p><p>“Miranda! Max! Why you’re right on time! Come in come in!”</p><p>Max urged Miranda in first before he followed. His jaw dropped at the size of the staying cabin she had.</p><p>“This is bigger than my whole home was” he breathed.</p><p>He looked at the intricate detailing to the wallpaper alone, <em>these people have more money than I have ever seen</em> he privately thought. He felt sick suddenly, why was Miranda wanting to even be in his company if her cabin was even remotely like this?</p><p>“Size and money don’t matter so much as the person”.</p><p>He looked at her, her hand found his as they looked at the artwork that decorated the walls.</p><p>“I have £5 to my name Miranda, that is all…how could you possibly even touch my hand let alone spend a day with me?”</p><p>“How do you take you tea Max?”</p><p>Max let their hands go and looked at Molly Brown, “uhm I don’t know I’ve never had it”.</p><p>“All that time living in England and you never tried tea?” Miranda raised an eyebrow and smiled, “have it black with a slice of lemon”.</p><p>Max nodded and looked at Molly, he opened his mouth to say how and she just smiled, “black with lemon darling?”</p><p>Max nodded and sat next to Miranda in the sitting room.</p><p>“So Max, how long have you lived in England?” Molly asked as her maid poured them three teas.</p><p>“I uh a few years…I moved there when my parents died in Munich and the landlord kicked me out”.</p><p>Miranda reached for his hand, “the landlord kicked you out? That’s appalling!”</p><p>“It is what it is Schatz” he shrugged but turned his hand so that she could hold it, “besides every kick is just another direction to travel in. Out of tragedy comes beauty”.</p><p>“What a fine philosophy” Molly said and sipped her tea, “my husband is the same”.</p><p>“Speaking of” Miranda said, “Max has uhm, well I’ve invited him for dinner tonight. Do you have anything he could borrow to wear? I don’t want him to be kicked out for not having the correct jacket or whatever they care so deeply about”.</p><p>Molly laughed, “my sons’ stuff! Of course, I think he is a little shorter than you Max but not so much”.</p><p>“i-I”</p><p>‘Honey you can get away with your pants and shirt in here but out there? They’re vultures. Ready to pick up on anything at the slightest hint of trouble”.</p><p>“Thank you” Max said, looking at Molly and then at Miranda. She blushed and pulled her hand back.</p><p>Holding her tea cup with both hands she hid her face behind the cup as she took a sip.</p><p>Max took his own sip from the tea and, whilst the tea was still very hot, the lemon brought a sharpness to it that he found he liked.</p><p>“Do you like it?” she asked him.</p><p>“I do” he smiled and put the cup down, “very much like”.</p><p>Miranda caught his meaning and gulped, “good…I’m glad you do”.</p><p>Molly rolled her eyes at the pair but smiled, it was nice to see young love again. Especially in such a magnificent location.</p><p>“So dinner is starting at 7. What’s say you come back here at 6 for your clothes and then you can meet Miranda at the staircase just before?”</p><p>Max nodded, “sounds good to me”.</p><p>“And me” Miranda smiled, “Max here has been reading Wollstonecroft”.</p><p>At this Molly’s eyes lit up, “finally a man about the ship with some taste”.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>As promised, at just before 7PM, Max was waiting at the bottom of the staircase for Miranda. Her rooms were on the opposite side of the ship to Molly’s so he couldn’t walk her to the dining room but watching her walk down the stairs he knew would be a far better sight than a door opening.</p><p>He looked up at the clock on the mantle, it was as ornate and beautiful as the staircase itself. Although made of wood it was still beautiful, tricking the eye into thinking it was gold.</p><p>Nerves started to fill his body as he saw her.</p><p>She was dressed in dark blue, with gloves to match. A necklace rested where her shawl had that morning.</p><p>Her hair was now pinned up with a curl dangling by her face. She walked down to him and smirked slightly, she held her hand to him and he took it, kissing it he smiled up at her.</p><p>“You look breath taking…in fact I think you have my breath” he breathed.</p><p>Miranda smiled, “what about yourself?” she said and looked at him dressed in the borrowed suit. He’d kept his curls unruly, not trusting the gel Molly had offered him.</p><p>“Do I pass?” he grinned.</p><p>“More than pass” she smiled and linked arms with him, “you’re very handsome Max”.</p><p>This time it was Max’s turn to go red, “thank you” he smiled and followed the line of passengers ready for dinner.</p><p>“Sir, your pass”</p><p>“He’s with me” Miranda stated, although she did not produce her name the servers nodded once at her tone.</p><p>Max marvelled after her as she moved through the dinners, saying hello to the likes of John Jacob Astor and his very pregnant wife, Madeline, before nodding politely at their friends. If they thought anything was bizarre about Max being here nobody voiced it. In fact, nobody even mentioned Niall Taylor.</p><p>“You must be pretty lonely for them to accept me as one of you” he said as she moved to a table by the windows.</p><p>“What makes you say that?” she asked as he pulled out the seat for her.</p><p>“Well, they don’t see a problem with me. They know you are Niall’s fiancée yes?”</p><p>Miranda sat and he pushed her in, “Niall is busy. That much they know. How he makes his money is another matter”.</p><p>Max raised his eyebrows at the menu before he sat opposite her, “<em>how </em>he makes his money? I thought he made wine?”</p><p>“It’s hard to make wine in deary old England. When sunshine is rare and it rains most often”.</p><p>It was then Max noted that underneath Miranda’s eye was a bruise that wasn’t there earlier.</p><p>“So, what does he do?”</p><p>“Somethings are best left a mystery” she said softly.</p><p>“Are you okay?” he asked, nodding at her eye.</p><p>Miranda touched it and fought off a wince, “barely hurts”.</p><p>“I’ll kill him if he does that again” Max stated coldly.</p><p>“Max-“</p><p>“No” he said, “no woman deserves to be hit. If I ever meet him I will remember to restrain myself for your benefit, but I will kill him if he even lays an unwanted finger on you”.</p><p>Miranda’s brow softened, “thank you”.</p><p>He smiled and looked back at the menu, “there is a lot of choice here. I don’t think I can even pronounce half of it”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “there is yes” she reclaimed his hand under the table and smiled at the menu as Max watched her. She feigned choosing for a few seconds before smiling at him, “I can feel you watching me”.</p><p>“You held my hand first” he grinned, “not that I don’t want that I mean I do – want that – want to hold your hand”.</p><p>Miranda chuckled, “the menu is what they’ll bring us, although you can pass on foods and opt for something else”.</p><p>“They’ll bring us all this?”</p><p>“It’s the set menu for Thursday” she said, “it changes everyday”.</p><p>“Woah” he grinned, “you live on another world here Miranda”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “the privileges of the rich are oft a wonder, but not one I take pride in”.</p><p>“Really? Are you sure? If I had riches-“</p><p>“Would you truly be happy?” she asked him, “I was not when I had riches and now at the prospect of marrying into them, I am far more devasted. I would rather be penniless and happy than rich and abused”.</p><p>Max moved to say something, but the waiter interrupted them by pouring wine as another placed their starters in front of them.</p><p>She looked at him, letting his hand go she took her wine glass and clinked it with his, "use the fork on the end for this meal" she whispered as he looked at the choice.</p><p>He smiled at her and picked it up, "to being penniless and happy" he smiled.</p><p>"Penniless and happy" she agreed and raised her own fork.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Halfway through their meal of Roast Mutton and Ox, Max looked around at the other diners. He had assumed that they would be bothered time and time again over the fact that Miranda wasn't dining with Niall, but from her declaration perhaps it was best no diner disturbed them.</p><p>It gave him a chance to be alone with Miranda and have a chance at enjoying the finer pleasures in life. </p><p>He looked back to his meal and saw Miranda smiling at him.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You've got something on your face" she chuckled and folded her napkin, reaching across she dabbed a spot at the corner of his mouth. Max froze at her intimate gesture and he felt sure everyone in the room did too.</p><p>Miranda caught on quickly and gulped, he took her hand and wiped his mouth, "gone?"</p><p>She nodded, "s-sorry I just-"</p><p>"Don't be" he smiled and squeezed her hand, "you have a great capacity to be kind within your heart Miranda. Promise me not to lose that".</p><p>"And how will you know it's a promise kept?"</p><p>"I will" he smiled, "or maybe I'll get a ship of my own and go to Mallorca with you".</p><p>Miranda smiled, "Max and Miranda in Mallorca...what would we do there?"</p><p>"Fight crimes obviously" he grinned, "doesn't that sound appealing? Much better than having that Irish Dickheads' children".</p><p>"Oh entirely so" she agreed, "after dessert would you like to take a stroll with me along the deck?"</p><p>"I would love to" he smiled.</p><hr/><p>Their small world of happiness however, was short lived. Not long after dessert had been cleared and Miranda had pressed a cup of coffee to Max. Christian appeared.</p><p>"Miranda. Niall had thought you would dine with him in his cabin. I hope you have not been with him all this time?"</p><p>"You know I have Christian" she replied tiredly, "but Max has been wonderful company so tell Niall I haven't been lonesome".</p><p>"You might have to tell him yourself" Christian replied, "sorry".</p><p>Max took a look at Miranda's face, she was smiling but her eyes were telling another story. She wasn't too pleased with having to explain her absence to Niall.</p><p>"Hey, remember what I said?" he said, touching her fingertips with his own. She eyed him and nodded slowly.</p><p>"I'm on F deck".</p><p>She nodded and stood, "I've had a lovely night Max" she said as he stood. Christian backed away to allow the two a small amount of privacy. He kissed her cheek and murmured "Cabin 72", just low enough for her to hear.</p><p>"Gute Nacht Miranda" he teased.</p><p>"Gute Nacht Max, until tomorrow?"</p><p>"Tomorrow sounds like a promise".</p><p>"Another promise to be kept?"</p><p>Max laughed and smiled, "I look forwards to keeping it".</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As I write this I am still actually writing the story. I'm nearly done but honestly I gotta stop myself from adding more!!! As I've said before, the facts placed in here are accurate to the accounts I have read and researched. there might be a few inaccuracies for poetic licence but *shrugs* enjoooyy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the morning April 13<sup>th</sup>, their third official day on board the Titanic, Max met her at the bottom of the staircase. Since their day together yesterday had been such a hit with them both, he wanted to take her to the parts of the ship that she perhaps wouldn’t normally explore; his territory.</p><p>Third-class.</p><p>Whilst it had two bathrooms for the entirety of class it had the best camaraderie going. From spontaneous singing to dancing to the beat of footsteps. Laughter filled the corridors as roommates got to know one another in the cramped conditions.</p><p>It might be a tight squeeze in amongst the narrow corridors, but it reminded Max of the apartment he had been living in back in Munich. It was, strangely, like being home.</p><p>“Max?” Miranda said as she approached him. She was wearing gloves today. So Niall had taken his anger out on her.</p><p>She caught his gaze and rolled her eyes, taking her gloves off, “they’re fine…Niall was…more interested in what I knew about his friends. Carlos has a man in the South, Jurgen”.</p><p>“So he didn’t hurt you?”</p><p>“Not physically no” she said and folded her gloves into her small bag, “so…what are we doing together?”</p><p>He smiled, “Miranda” and kissed her hand, before linking it with his, “yesterday we explored the top half of the ship, I thought today we could explore my parts. That is I mean, if you would like to?”</p><p>Miranda nodded, “I want to see this ship in full Mr Winter. And I expect you to be my guide”.</p><p>Max laughed, “well ma’am, it was built in Bel-“</p><p>“Oh I know that bit” she laughed, “I want to know the stories of the ship, not the facts. The life and tales it has to tell”.</p><p>Max smiled, “then you have come to the right place” he walked them down staircase after staircase until they arrived on E deck.</p><p>“So here is where we can find pretty much everything they thought you rich people would need. A writing room, another gymnasium- like the one on the higher up deck. There is even a swimming pool! Can you believe it? In the middle of the sea I can go for a swim in here- well actually I probably cannot go for a swim. You could if you wanted”.</p><p>“Can’t you swim?”</p><p>“Oh I can it’s just I am over 6 foot. Nobody wants to see me swimming” he laughed.</p><p>Miranda clutched his arm and smiled, “I wouldn’t mind so much. You’d be a strong swimmer” she said and smiled as fellow passengers passed them by with a smile and a nod.</p><p>“They think I’m your butler” he sang by her ear, she swotted his hand good-naturedly before looking at the passengers again. To her disappointment, she found Max was right. They were looking and smiling at her, not at them.</p><p>She squeezed his hand, “can we see the swimming pool?”</p><p>“Of course” he smiled and looked around for a signpost. He flagged down a member of the crew.</p><p>“The swimming pool? Where is it?”</p><p>“Down there and on your left mate. Mind yourself down here m’lady. Strange men who don’t know their manners. Wise of you to keep a hold of your butler” he said, nodding to Max.</p><p>“Thank you” Max said and looked pointedly at her.</p><p>She laughed, “with your hair so wild I’m surprised they think you are my butler. Come here” she said and went onto her tip toes to smooth his hair out with her fingers. He bent as her fingers slid through his hair. He smiled as she realised just how intimate her actions were. She bit her lip and moved back, “Sorry”.</p><p>Max grinned at her and stroked a stray curl behind her ear, “don’t be…so onto the swimming pool then? After that I was thinking you might uhm, might like to see what third deck is like? The other day there was a woman singing an opera! Charlie told me that last night she sang <em>Tosca</em>”.</p><p>“Down here?!” Miranda asked incredulously.</p><p>“Yep” he laughed, “money doesn’t buy talent no more than the rich are immune to disease. Anyone can have or do anything”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “I should like to see her singing”.</p><p>“Maybe she’ll sing up there for you”.</p><p>“Oh I’d rather be down here” she replied, “there is more of an atmosphere and character here. It’s alive”.</p><p>“It also smells”.</p><p>“Have you been to London?” Miranda countered with a laugh.</p><p>“Point” Max grinned, “but I’d rather be upstairs than down”.</p><p>“Just for a night? Let me hear the opera singer?” she begged and held both his hands in hers.</p><p>Max looked into her eyes, pointedly ignoring the bruise on her cheek and nodded, “okay fine you have twisted my arm” he smiled as she grinned.</p><p>“But” he started, “you might want to get into a dress you don’t mind getting sweaty in”.</p><p>“I’m fine in this one Max. Besides, I didn’t pack anything I can be comfy in…besides my nightgown and I’m not walking about the ship in just that”.</p><p>“I wouldn’t mind if you did” he said.</p><p>She looked at him strangely.</p><p>“My nightgown isn’t exactly revealing but it shows enough Max” she laughed, “if I did walk about then it’d be like I was on show”.</p><p>“Ohhhh” Max laughed, “Sorry I thought it was a woman’s dress she wore at night…I didn’t realise it was uhm, well bedwear”.</p><p>“Kind of what nightgown means” she laughed and smiled at him, “why what do you sleep in?”</p><p>“Nothing” he admitted, “well, maybe underpants…rarely a shirt. It’s very hot down here so I just sleep in next to nothing. The people I am sharing the room with; Jens, Jacob and Kurt are the same”.</p><p>“Remind me to not go to your room at night then. If there are four naked men in one room…” she trailed off into a blush.</p><p>Max smiled, “I wouldn’t let anyone of them lay an eye on you much less a finger” he stated, “Max-“</p><p>“You are an engaged woman Miranda. It wouldn’t be right” he smiled.</p><p>“And us holding hands is?”</p><p>“I am your chaperone” he stated, “a really handsome chaperone” he added and moved her along towards the swimming pool, “and us holding hands is completely platonic”.</p><p>“Mmm completely” Miranda replied, knowing in her heart, they were rapidly heading towards something else.</p><hr/><p>Niall paced his room as Christian cleaned.</p><p>“Well where is the damned diamonds Carlos?!” he snapped to his friend who was calmly drinking a neat whisky.</p><p>“My man in the South has it” Carlos replied, “he said that if it were a pressin’ matta I’d be able to have them to New York by Wednesday at the latest”.</p><p>“Well it is a pressing matter, so you tell your fucking <em>friend</em> in the South that if I don’t get my fucking diamonds I’m going to be blowing a hole in your head. Do you understand me?!”</p><p>Carlos smirked, he was a Southern man by birth and no Irishman would be intimidating him on any day of the week. He stood tall and loomed over Niall.</p><p>“I said I could get them to y’by Wednesday Niall…now y’soon to be wife won’t care if you have to stay a day or so extra in the city. By her a dress and she’ll be happy. Most women are”.</p><p>“You clearly don’t know my wife” Niall stated.</p><p>“Nope, but I’d like to” Carlos grinned and laughed with Niall, “is she good?”</p><p>“She locks the door before I can even get a chance” Niall admitted, “but I’ll be breaking her in on the night we get married. Don’t you worry. Might even let you have a go if I get my diamonds”.</p><p>“I’ll have them in the city by Tuesday night” Carlos grinned and placed his glass to one side, “for now, I need to retire to m’own chambers. Got a pretty missy there m’self”.</p><p>Niall laughed and shook his head as Carlos moved to the door, “see that you get that message across to your friend before you do anything Carlos. Or it won’t just be your friend with a hole in his head”.</p><p>Carlos nodded and left the room, leaving Christian to Niall.</p><hr/><p>Miranda tapped Max’s shoulder and dodged right when he looked left. She laughed and nudged his side, “good afternoon” she greeted.</p><p>“It is now” he laughed, “Good afternoon Schatz, you look beautiful...although you didn't need to change on my behalf”. She had changed from the morning. Before she had worn a pale green dress but now, she had chosen a darker forest green dress. Max didn’t care what she wore, the fact that she wanted to spend a second night in his company was more than enough for him to worship her.</p><p>He took her along the veranda and down towards the third class deck, “I warn you they may stare…you don’t exactly blend in”.</p><p>Miranda squeezed his arm, “I don’t mind. As long as I’m with you I feel I can face anything”.</p><p>“I think you are powerful enough to face the world alone. But I am very happy you feel I am an acceptable companion”.</p><p>“You are” she smiled and kept her hand on his arm as they walked from the deck to just below and to where all the entertainment and revelry was taking place.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Niall glared at Christian, “what do you mean she’s taken to a German? It better not be you or I’ll have your family sent your fingers”.</p><p>“No no! It’s he’s it’s this man in third class. Max something…he’s been with her everyday. People have started to talk”.</p><p>“And by people-“</p><p>“Madeline Astor”.</p><p>Niall chewed over the information, Madeline’s husband was John Jacob Astor; the richest man aboard. To be alienated from him would not do.</p><p>“Let her have her fun and games for now” Niall settled on, but smirked, “perhaps I’ll buy this Max and kill him in front of her as we dock”.</p><p>Christian gulped and nodded, “s-so uhm, shall I go find her?”</p><p>“No let her go and fuck a diseased-ridden peasant- YES GO FIND HER YOU IDIOT”.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DOUBLEUPDATE <br/>THIS IS UPDATE 1 OF THE DAYYYY</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda laughed hard and smiled wide as Max’s friends; Charlie, Jacob, Jens and Kurt welcomed her into their strange little family. She smiled as Max tried to sing along to the opera. He failed to catch up with the singer, but he tried on more than one occasion.</p><p>He was right about third class, it was full of wonders and life, far richer than that above deck. The band above were talented sure, but they were too precise and unwanting to make a mistake.</p><p>Music was their life and it played in their songs. But down here, life was music. It existed in the shared cramped space. In the cracks of the floorboards, the scurry of the rats.</p><p>It was beautiful.</p><p>She looked at Max and smiled as he caught her eye.</p><p>“You’ve opened up a world for me” she said.</p><p>“And it’s only Saturday afternoon” he said and took her hand, “will you dance with me Miranda?”</p><p>Miranda smiled and stood, “I will, although I don’t know the moves”.</p><p>“Neither do I” he laughed, “perfect for each other then” before he twirled her around.</p><hr/><p>Christian watched from the staircase as Miranda danced with Max. She looked the happiest he had seen her in the short few weeks of knowing her. Her smile was real and not what he now knew to be the fake ones she had supplied Niall with. She seemed truly happy with this rogue.</p><p>Christian watched as he twirled Miranda again before they moved their hips in time with the singer and the musicians. He smiled as he dipped Miranda before pulling her close. The two seemed lost in one another’s eyes. Not remembering where they were or their stations.</p><p>“Miranda!” Christian yelled as they leaned towards another.</p><p>Miranda looked left at Christian and her eyes widened. Max followed her gaze and gulped.</p><p>Christian moved towards them but before he could reach them, Miranda grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him down towards the narrow corridors housing cabin after cabin of passengers.</p><hr/><p>Max gripped her hand tightly and laughed as Miranda pulled him along the corridors.</p><p>“Schatz! Schatz slow down” he laughed, “where are we going?”</p><p>“Getting away from Christian!” Miranda yelled back and laughed as she nearly bumped into someone. He pulled her close and smiled as they were called idiots in Spanish by a woman he had seen Charlie with.</p><p>He panted and leaned against the wall with Miranda, “I don’t think Christian will be following us”.</p><p>“You’d be surprised” Miranda replied, “he has this uncanny ability to just appear” she stated and smiled at him.</p><p>He stroked her cheek and smiled, “maybe I should be taking you back up to your cabins before Niall finds out where you are”.</p><p>“He’ll know” she replied and held his hand by her cheek, “but…I would like to keep walking with you. Holding your hand”.</p><p>Max smiled, “Schatz you are going to get into trouble”.</p><p>“I don’t care. If it’s giving me time with you… I don’t care. You know me Max. You know me better than anyone on this bloody ship. Being with you is worth every risk. I’m so glad I met you”.</p><p>Max smiled, “well who am I to deny my favourite lady then” he pulled her close again, “but it is warm don’t you think?”</p><p>“It is” she agreed and looked into his eyes. The specks of gold that rested in them were warm in the bright lights.</p><p>“Max” she started.</p><p>“I know” he smiled, “I feel it too”.</p><p>“Miranda!”</p><p>Miranda looked to the left of Max and saw Christian standing beside the stairs looking unimpressed with them.</p><p>Max grinned at her, “run?”</p><p>“Run” she agreed and they took off again laughing.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>They ran through corridor after corridor, narrowly avoiding crew member and passenger alike until they emerged on deck.</p><p>Bursting out in a fit of laughter, Max twirled her again and pulled her close.</p><p>“<em>Idiotas</em>”</p><p>Max snickered as clearly elegant lady glared at them. She was with her husband and two children who seemed bemused by Max and Miranda's antics.</p><p>Miranda hid her face in Max’s arm and gripped his hand as they moved away.</p><p>He smiled at her and pulled her towards the bow of the ship, “it’s going to be another beautiful sunset”.</p><p>She shivered, “it’s freezing”.</p><p>He shrugged his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders, “that better?”</p><p>She looked up at him and smiled, “yeah it is”.</p><p>“I thought being on this ship would be the wonder, but it is not...there is something else”.</p><p>“No? What is it?”</p><p>Max smiled at her, “does it need saying?” he breathed and stroked her face, before pulling her close. Max kissed her softly and his hands rested on her waist she gripped him and kissed back. Finding their bodies moulded against one another as though they were made to be together.</p><p>As they kissed on deck, Niall Taylor watched from above, fists clenching against the railings.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Miranda walked back to her cabins with a smile on her face, that was short lived as Christian walked into her room. He looked panicked.</p><p>“Miss Blake”.</p><p>“Christian-“</p><p>“Mr Taylor requests you join him for a  late afternoon tea”.</p><p>Miranda sat up slowly and saw Max’s jacket resting on the back of her chair.</p><p>“He’s angry”.</p><p>“Yes I had expected that” she said and slipped her robe on, “will you do a favour for me?”</p><p>Christian raised an eyebrow but nodded.</p><p>She took her pen and paper from the desk and scribbled a note before folding it and placing it in Max’s jacket, “take this to Max Winter. He’s in cabin 72 on F Deck”.</p><p>Christian sighed, “Miranda do you know what you are doing?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and smiled softly, “more than anything Christian. For the first time in a very long time”.</p><p>“And the note is?”</p><p>“For Max. You tell Niall anything about it and you’ll be finding I’m not an agreeable woman when challenged. Do you understand?”</p><p>Christian nodded, “yes ma’am…do you need help changing?”</p><p>“I’ll be fine. It’s Niall, he doesn’t notice these matters”.</p><hr/><p>Max looked at Niall’s butler with disdain, “you don’t trust me why should I trust you?”</p><p>“We have a common goal”.</p><p>“Which is?”</p><p>“Miranda’s happiness”.</p><p>Max blushed, “yes well-“</p><p>“You like her don’t you?”</p><p>Max nodded, “very much. She is unlike anyone I have ever met. And I want to spend all of my time letting her know that” he leaned against his doorway, clutching his jacket as Christian fiddled with his hands.</p><p>“She’s a married woman” he attempted.</p><p>“<em>Soon to be</em>. And she is only marrying him for the sake of her family” Max countered, “I’m sure if she was given the choice she would marry for love”.</p><p>“And you think you’re a suitable match?”</p><p>Max shrugged, “I just know she’s a wonderful young woman. I might have known her only a few days but I can feel a connection. I know she has to marry Niall but she can live this weekend. By Monday everything will have changed, but this is Saturday and this is the greatest ship in all of the world Christian. Anything is possible. Even love”.</p><p>Christian half smiled, “you more than like her”.</p><p>“I do, but I can’t even afford a home”</p><p>“Neither can she…come to the deck at 10 tonight”.</p><p>Max raised an eyebrow, “why?”</p><p>Christian smiled, “There must be more equality established in society, or morality will never gain ground”.</p><p>“Isn’t that-“</p><p>“Wollstonecroft? Yes. Miranda, once her mind is made up is very difficult to persuade otherwise. She said I had to read it and so I did. I have sisters”.</p><p>Max nodded, “good for you”.</p><p>“She’s alone with Niall…I must get back…maybe steer clear of her for a few hours”.</p><p>Max shrugged but nodded, “10 on deck…I’ll be there”.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Blue Danube</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DOUBLE UPDATE DAY</p><p>UPDATE 2 OF THE DAY :D and we've reached a little over halfway!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda knocked on Niall’s cabin door and waited for him to answer. After kissing Max earlier her nerves were on fire.</p><p>Anybody could’ve seen them kiss and have reported it back to Niall.</p><p>She could be walking to her death and she wouldn’t know it.</p><p>Niall answered the door as she raised her fist to know on it again.</p><p>“Darling” he said, his voice softer than before, “tea?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and stepped inside his cabin. His rooms were the exact same as hers, only where her wardrobe was on the left when she walked in, his was on the right. He had set up the table with a tea pot and a slice of lemon ready for her cup.</p><p>“Sit my darling and tell me about your day. I feel as though we’ve hardly had a chance to see one another lately”.</p><p>Miranda slowly approached the table and allowed him to push her chair in for her.</p><p>“I’ve been exploring” she said, “seeing what the <em>Titanic</em> has to offer. It’s not called the ship of dreams for nothing”.</p><p>“It’s also called an unsinkable ship darling. In a few days we’ll be back on board so we can enjoy it again. Together as man and wife should”.</p><p> Miranda half smiled, “yes…”</p><p>He poured her tea, watching her intently. Before he purposefully poured the liquid across her lap.</p><p>Miranda yelped and stood back, clutching her hand against her chest, “Niall!”</p><p>“I slipped” he said, “sit back down”.</p><p>She looked at her dress and shakily shook it. The sheer amount of fabric she was wearing had prevented her from burning her leg but her hand was sore.</p><p>“Niall I need some ice” she said and moved across to his drinks table where she knew he had a bucket of ice on standby.</p><p>“I said sit down Miranda. Or are you stupid?”</p><p>Miranda looked at Niall, “I-I’m not…I-I’m not stupid” she whispered.</p><p>“So, sit. DOWN”.</p><p>Miranda moved back to her seat and sat back down.</p><p>“There now, that wasn’t so hard. You’ve ruined your dress though. Best change before dinner. I don’t want any accusations that I do not keep my wife dressed in finery”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and clutched her teacup, “of course”.</p><p>“So you were telling me about your day? Come on…I am genuinely interested in what you’ve done today. Spare no detail darling. Who have you met?”</p><p>
  <em>Max. I’ve been with my wonderful Max all day and the time I've been on this ship. And he hasn’t once hurt me or made me feel the way you do</em>
</p><p>“I met a few of the Captains’ men…I got lost looking for the library and they guided me up through steerage and to the boat deck. I got lost in the ocean’s calmness”.</p><p>“I didn’t realise there was a library on here” Niall remarked and sipped his tea, “did you find it?”</p><p>“No…but there’s always tomorrow. I might look for a good classic…perhaps Vanity Fair?”</p><p>“If you insist on reading darling, read something better than that shite. Go for something nicer, <em>Tess of the D’Urbervilles</em> perhaps”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “I shall to see what books they have. There’s no point in getting my hopes up only for them to be diminished at the last second”.</p><p>Niall nodded, “we might have to stay a day longer in New York. I’ll buy you a new dress to compensate”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “are all of your deals secured?”</p><p>“They are” Niall said, “Carlos’ man will deliver”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and sipped her tea, “I’m pleased for you. All of your plans are working out…pretty soon; Mallorca”.</p><p>“I knew you would come around to it” Niall smiled, “I tell you what my darling, why don’t we make the most of this lovely night” he stood and held out his hand to her, “come to bed with me”.</p><p>“Niall-“</p><p>“That wasn’t an offer Miranda”.</p><p>Miranda stood, “Niall. We are not yet married. If I am to…if we are to…I would not feel right marrying you…please it is just how I was brought up. I don’t want to go to bed with you before we are married. Make our wedding night all the more special; don’t you agree?”</p><p>Niall looked across the room and dropped his hand, “I understand Miranda” before he slapped her hard. Miranda stumbled against the blow and clutched her cheek as he grabbed her dress. Pulling her towards his bed she shrieked and struck out at him.</p><p>“Niall! Niall stop this! Stop this at once! I said no!”</p><p>“And I’m inclined to ignore you. You are my <em>wife</em> Miranda and you will not deny me this”.</p><p>“When we are married yes not before, please Niall. Please” she begged and clutched at his shirt.</p><p>“Please darling” she whispered softly and stroked his face, “please”.</p><p>Niall yanked her hands away, choosing to pin them to the bed.</p><p>“Niall!” Miranda cried out, “Niall stop this at once!”</p><p>“Not unti-“</p><p>There was a knock before the door opened, Christian walked in. He took one look at them, Miranda pinned to Niall’s bed as he loomed above her.</p><p>“Sir-“</p><p>“Not now Christian!” Niall snapped.</p><p>“But Sir, John Jacob Astor is in the smoking room and I thought you might like to join him. It is rare he is in there”.</p><p>Niall pulled away from Miranda and moved to his jacket, “your loyalty is remarkable Christian” Niall said and patted Christian’s back before walking out of the room.</p><p>Miranda shakily sat up and looked at Christian.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>Miranda trembled, “j-just just get me to my cabin. I want to get out of this hideous dress”.</p><p>Christian nodded, “would you like me to run you a bath?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as Christian approached.</p><p>He held out his arm for her.</p><p>She took it and shivered, “s-speak German? Please?”</p><p>Christian smiled, “why?”</p><p>“It calms me”.</p><p>Christian moved Miranda across and out of Niall’s room. As he helped her undress to her shift, he spoke softly; “Miranda, Max ist in dich verliebt. Und ich weiß, dass du bei ihm bist. Was Sie tun, ist gefährlich. Was ich tue, ist schlimmer. Ich werde dir etwas Freiheit von Niall verschaffen. Vielleicht helfen Sie sogar, zusammen wegzulaufen”.</p><p>She nodded and sniffed, smiling at the unfamiliar language.</p><p>“What does all that mean?”</p><p>Christian shook his head, “I’ll go run you that bath”.</p><p>“Christian?”</p><p>“I just spoke an old prayer”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, knowing there was more to it than it being just an old prayer. She waited as he filled her bath. The warmth of the fire calmed her nerves as she thought about Max.</p><p>His kiss had been so gentle and soft.</p><p>A declaration more than anything. Their kiss was confirmation she was doing the right thing with Max. By being with him and not Niall.</p><p>Her heart was broken and in tatters when she boarded the ship. But from the moment she met Max, it had begun to heal again. Perhaps even from the second they laid eyes on one another.</p><p>She was in love with a man she had only just begun to know.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>She looked at Christian.</p><p>“Your bath is ready”.</p><p>She nodded, “t-thank you”</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>“Yes Christian?”</p><p>“At 10 tonight, be on the deck?”</p><p>“Whatever for?”</p><p>“Happiness”.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Max looked around on the deck for any sign of Christian and was disappointed when he found he was alone. Most diners were still sitting down for their meals. With one or two walking about the deck. But none were Christian.</p><p>“M-Max?”</p><p>Max turned around and saw Miranda, shivering in a blue dress but smiling at him. The bruise on her cheek was steadily turning yellow and she had a sharp fresh red mark on her hand.</p><p>“Miranda” he breathed and hesitantly approached her. Merely hours had passed since they had kissed. He was terrified Niall had seen them and done something to her. Especially after Christian had pointed out the note in his pocket.</p><p>Her note, whilst being short, conveyed so much. Their kiss meant as much to her as it had to him.</p><p>“Christian told me to be here” she said.</p><p>“He told me the same” he smiled back and stroked her cheek, “Miranda i-“</p><p>“Kiss me? Kiss me like you earlier”</p><p>“There’s too many people out” he said, “b-but I do want to. Kiss you again that is…I want to keep kissing you for as long as I’m alive”.</p><p>Miranda smiled and took his hand in hers, “follow me”. She pulled him close without waiting for his reply and led him down towards a large corridor, opening up the middle of the doors she pulled him into the room quickly, locking the door behind them.</p><p>Max looked around the room and deduced they were in her rooms.</p><p>“What about now? Will you kiss me now?” she asked.</p><p>Max smiled and nodded, moving to her quickly he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She met his passion with equal bursts of fire and ice. Running her hands through his hair she moaned as his hands held her waist.</p><p>Max grinned against her lips, “I’m so glad I met you”.</p><p>“I’m glad too” she breathed and gently nibbled his bottom lip, teasing it before smiling at him innocently.</p><p>“Why did you bring us here to kiss?” he asked her as she took his hands and moved them from the first room and towards her bedroom.</p><p>“I need help with my corset” she stated.</p><p>Max grinned, “Miranda I don’t think-“</p><p>She pressed her finger to his lips, “you cannot expect me to undress without help. I am a lady didn’t you know”.</p><p>Max grinned as she turned her back to him.</p><p>He stroked the hard laces of her dress and untied the base of it. Tugging at the strands he felt her relax ever so slightly.</p><p>She held the dress up and moved behind a screen, only stopping to poke her head out to look at him.</p><p>“There’s port on the side if you would like a glass”.</p><p>Max turned and saw the small bottle in the decanter. He resisted the urge to turn back to see if she was watching him and approached the table. He poured a small glass for them both as she stepped out in a silk robe. She tied it as she walked towards him.</p><p>“Corset gone?” he asked and handed her the drink.</p><p>“Gone and I hope to God it’s days are numbered”.</p><p>“Why do you need to wear one?”</p><p>“Society” she answered simply and sipped her drink, “there’s talk of us arriving in New York on Monday…w-what will you do when you get there?”</p><p>“Find a job at a bar probably…I’m good in bars. I can sleep anywhere so that won’t be much of an issue. What about you? Are you getting married as soon as we dock or is it a wait?”</p><p>Miranda gently toyed with a stray string from her robe and ruefully smiled, “I’d like to think marriage and I are a while off”.</p><p>Max nodded and finished his port. He looked at her lips and against his better judgement he kissed her.</p><p>She smiled against his lips but pulled back quickly, “Max…do you need money?”</p><p>“Why do you ask?”</p><p>“I don’t want you freezing to death. I’ve heard Spring can be dangerous in New York…I have a necklace you could have to sell”.</p><p>“Miranda, I don’t want your jewels” he smiled, “you are the only beauty I desire”.</p><p>Miranda placed her glass down and smiled at him, “you are ever so romantic Max Winter”.</p><p>“It happens” he agreed and grinned at her.</p><p>She nodded and played with her robes tie, she looked at him again, eyes full of something more than affection for him.</p><p>“Would you be so bold as to come here?” she asked him. He nodded and closed the short distance to meet her.</p><p>“Untie my robe Max Winter” she whispered, her hands coming to rest on his arms. He gulped and looked at her.</p><p>“But you uhm, you aren’t wearing anything underneath”.</p><p>“I know” she smiled gently.</p><p>He smiled and kissed her again as he untied the robe. Letting it fall to the floor he backed her towards her bed as he started to take off his own clothes.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Translations<br/>Miranda, Max ist in dich verliebt. Und ich weiß, dass du bei ihm bist. Was Sie tun, ist gefährlich. Was ich tue, ist schlimmer. Ich werde dir etwas Freiheit von Niall verschaffen. Vielleicht helfen Sie sogar, zusammen wegzulaufen- Miranda, Max is in love with you. And i know you are with him. What you are doing is dangerous. What i am doing is worse. I will get you some freedom from Niall. Maybe even help you run away together</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Poet and Peasant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>double update day!!! </p><p>This is update one of the day :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If kissing Miranda was wonder, making love to her was ecstasy, Max mused as they lay together. Basking in the soft sunrise that was gently awakening them.</p><p>Her fingers playfully messing with his as he held her in his arms. Her blonde hair had curled somewhat during their night of passion and he found it endearing.</p><p>“Max?” she said and looked at him, capturing his heart as well as his lips, she rested her head against his chest as she finally finished her question, “when the ship docks…I’m getting off with you. That is, if you want me as I want you”.</p><p>Max stroked her hip and kissed her head, “you’d give up this for me?”</p><p>“Of course” she stated and turned so she could face him once more, “I’d give up my last note for you Max. I’ll get a job and we can find a place together. No pressures, no nasty men after us. Just us. You and I against the world”.</p><p>Max nodded and smiled, “I like that”.</p><p>She smiled back and kissed him again, “I can hardly wait to start our life together Max”.</p><p>“Neither can I Schatz” he agreed, “neither can I” before he kissed her again, turning them so he was above her. She smiled and pulled him close once more.</p><p>“You are the poet and I am the peasant Miranda” he grinned against her ear, making her blush. “I am so blessed to be within your presence that I might just die tonight Miranda, if I do not get the chance to make love to you again”.</p><p>“Everything I am, is yours to have and hold Max Winter” she breathed, “make love to me as though tonight is the end of the world”.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Max lay in her bed, content in the knowledge that Miranda and he would soon be wandering the streets of New York, together. Miranda sat at her desk, scribbling on paper. She was wearing a soft purple dress, but; he noticed with a grin, her corset was still lying on the floor.</p><p>“Miranda?” he sat up.</p><p>She looked at him through her mirror and smiled, “I’m leaving a note for Niall”.</p><p>Max smiled as she approached him.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>She smiled, “he needs to learn how to treat women before he should marry one” she stated and kissed him, “not that I’m going to help him. I want to devote my time to whatever I want for myself”.</p><p>“Am included in that?”</p><p>“You<em> are </em>that” she smiled, “cariad”.</p><p>“Welsh?”</p><p>“Mmm” she grinned, “I’m going to speak with Molly Brown today, ask her if she knows of places in New York for a young couple”.</p><p>Max pulled her into his lap and smiled, “I can hardly believe my luck. That I’m here, holding you on the Titanic. It feels like a dream”.</p><p>“Don’t wake up on my account” Miranda teased.</p><p>“I won’t wake up for the world Schatz” he grinned and stroked a hand up her arm, “I want to stay in this moment forever”.</p><p>“As do I” Miranda agreed and moved to kiss him when there was a sharp knock on her door.</p><p>
  <em>“Miranda, Darling. Open up”</em>
</p><p>Miranda’s eyes went wide, the sudden actions she and Max had taken washed over her. It didn’t help that Max was still naked in her bed.</p><p>“Niall” she breathed.</p><p>Max reached for his trousers and shirt, pulling them on fast as Miranda ran to the door to stop Niall from breaking it down as he knocked harder.</p><p>“One moment Niall” she called and nodded to the wardrobe for Max to hide in.</p><p>Max moved to it, closing it as she unlocked the door and Niall burst in.</p><p>“Darling, you missed the service…your absence was noted” Niall stated calmly, whilst looking anything but.</p><p>Miranda gulped, “I wasn’t feeling well…the sea…”</p><p>“The waters are calm. In fact, you can barely feel it moving. Perhaps you need to see the waters more closely”.</p><p>“n-No I’ll be fine…perhaps I am just sensitive to the movement. I am sorry I wasn’t there to sing”.</p><p>“As I said, your absence was noted”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “I’m sorry”.</p><p>“Get dressed. I’ll have Christian attend to you. If you are feeling unwell I best not let you leave my side all day”.</p><p>“I wouldn’t want you to suffer alongside me Niall, please, go join Carlos…I’m sure his company would be better than mine”.</p><p>Niall slammed her against the door, gripping her throat tightly, “don’t you <em>dare</em> talk to me like that again. I don’t take orders from you. You should be taking orders from me”.</p><p>Miranda whimpered, “i-I’m sorry. Please, Niall I am! Let me go!”</p><p>Niall dropped her roughly and yanked the door open, “get dressed. I’ll meet you at the Verandah”.</p><p>He slammed the door and she shakily rubbed her throat. She held up a hand to signal Max to stay in the wardrobe before she slowly stood. The door opened not a second later, Niall dragging Christian with him.</p><p>“Get her dressed” Niall spat, “I hate purple. Make it green”.</p><p>Miranda shook as Niall approached the wardrobe. Christian caught her gaze and ran in front of Niall, “of course Sir, would you like some port whilst Miranda chooses which green?”</p><p>Niall smiled and nodded, “now you see that is a fine idea” he turned to the table and noted the two glasses, one with the traces of port from the night before left in.</p><p>He took it and refilled it as Miranda opened the wardrobe an inch. Max’s eyes met hers, he silently handed her the first green dress and she took it, gently shutting the doors behind her. She leaned against it, “this one okay?”</p><p>Niall looked up and nodded, “it’ll do. Now take your dress off”.</p><p>Miranda gulped, “i-I’m sorry?”</p><p>“Take your dress off. It’s not hard is it?” Niall snapped and approached her, he gripped her chin in his fingers, “or perhaps you’d like that third class fella to do it?”</p><p>For a fraction of a second she thought she was rumbled.</p><p>“No?”</p><p>Miranda trembled as he ripped her sleeve, “Niall please…I can take my own dress off”.</p><p>“Then do it” he said, shoving her into the wardrobe. He moved back to his port and sipped it, “take your clothes off for me <em>Darling</em>”.</p><p>“Sir I really think-“ Christian said.</p><p>“Turn around if it offends you Christian. I want to see my wife-to-be naked”.</p><p>“i-It’s okay Christian” Miranda whispered, “it’s okay”.</p><p>Christian handed over her corset. His eyes asking something altogether more important.</p><p>“Thank you” she said before he turned around, giving her some degree of modesty. She could feel Max’s rage behind her. But true to his word, he was restraining himself for her benefit.</p><p>She slipped her dress off and Niall smirked.</p><p>“Tiny thing aren’t ya” he said, eyes travelling across her body, “still you’ll be able to bear my children”.</p><p>Miranda shivered and slipped her shift on before pulling her corset over the top, “i-it needs tightening”.</p><p>“And?”</p><p>Miranda turned her back and gripped the wardrobe as Niall approached. He yanked the strings tightly and pulled her close, “I know you’ve kissed him” he breathed, “and I know you would like to do something more. But a word of advice <em>darling</em> the second his hands touch your body…I’ll turn you both into fish food. Do you understand me?”</p><p>Miranda nodded, “y-yes Niall” she breathed and whimpered as he tightened the corset. He roughly kissed her neck and pulled back.</p><p>She trembled as he pulled her dress over her body, hands travelling across her body as he did.</p><p>“There you see. Not so hard was it?” Niall smirked and went back to his port. He downed it and looked at Christian, “right. I’m going for a smoke. Make sure she is at the Verandah or she’ll pay”.</p><p>Christian nodded and opened the door as Niall left. He shut it and looked at Miranda.</p><p>“Where is he?”</p><p>“i-I don’t know what you mean” she shook, moving to her chair to grip it tightly, her knuckles turning white.</p><p>“Where is he Miranda? I know he’s here”.</p><p>She looked at the wardrobe in the mirror and nodded to Max.</p><p>Max opened the door and approached Miranda. She turned to look at him. He stroked her cheek and she flinched.</p><p>“Carlos friend; Jurgen will keep Niall entertained. He’s urged him to get to New York by Monday or both their heads will be on a plate” Christian said, “once you dock…there’ll be a window of five minutes to run”.</p><p>Max nodded and took her hand in his but she snatched it back, instead opting to move to the port. She poured a small thimble and drank it in one.</p><p>“I’m not waiting for Jurgen” she said to them both, “before we dock. I don’t care how, but I am going to be with Max.”</p><p>He smiled at her.</p><p>“You said you only have £5 to your name? Well I have this” she said and touched her heart, “this is all I have and it is yours if you will allow it”.</p><p>Max moved to her as tears threatened to spill, “then I am a rich man” he said and held his hand out to her. She took it and sniffed as he kissed her knuckles.</p><p>“I will meet you on deck tonight. 10 just after the guards have changed. Can you hide her disappearance Christian?”</p><p>He looked at the butler who had Max’s jacket in his hands. They’d left it on the floor in plain view of anyone who took a look in her bedroom. All Niall had to do was look down. There was every possibility that Niall knew Max had been in room with them. That Max had spent the night with Miranda.</p><p>“I can try” he said and handed him his jacket.</p><p>“I shall spend the day waiting for its end” Max said and kissed her head, “meine Liebe”.</p><p>She sniffed and gripped him, “I shall pray for an early tomorrow”.</p><p>Max smiled and kissed her softly, “until tonight Schatz” he pulled his jacket on and nodded to Christian, kissing her one final time before he left her rooms.</p><p>Christian looked at Miranda, “think you’ll need a butler in America?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>translations</p><p>meine Liebe - my love</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Building Panic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>double update day!</p><p>Update 2 of the day!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Max sat nervously on deck, waiting for Molly Brown to walk on by as she often did. He was too nervous and mind too on Niall’s temper to settle or rest.</p><p>He was angry and furious at how Miranda had shrank under the temper. How humiliated he was for her.</p><p>He would have loved nothing more than shoving the man overboard. Let him be a tragic case to mar the maiden voyage. They wouldn’t have to worry about running away behind closed doors then.</p><p>They could then claim out of a tragedy something beautiful was born.</p><p>“I didn’t think such a lovely young man could ever wear such a long face”.</p><p>Max looked up and saw that as opposed to him finding her, Molly Brown had found him.</p><p>He stood in a flurry of panic and urgency, “can we talk? I need your help ma’am”.</p><hr/><p>Upon hearing his plans for Miranda and himself, Molly Brown remained stoic, shielding her thoughts from potential onlookers.</p><p>When he finished and looked at her with an earnest she often saw in her son, she smiled.</p><p>“Well of course I will help you both! Either you or Miranda will need some clothing to disguise yourselves. I would opt to disguise her, she is of a higher breeding but it’s easier to disguise if you-“</p><p>“If we look like the poorest of society?” Max finished.</p><p>“Excuse me for my candour but yes”.</p><p>Max nodded, “I think I can find something for her to wear. Charlie has been seeing a woman, Margalida. She and Miranda are about the same size”.</p><p>Molly nodded, “you can keep the clothes in my rooms but after that you will have to find a way to third and off the ship. You’ll be noticed if you are here with me in those clothes”.</p><p>Max nodded, “thank you. Thank you so much for helping us’.</p><p>“You are young and in love. And everybody on this ship knows what a nasty piece of work that Niall Taylor is”.</p><p>Max gulped, the memories of that morning washing over him, “you don’t know the half of it”.</p><hr/><p>Miranda held a tight smile as Niall gripped her arm tightly, as they walked across the deck. They said nothing; Niall choosing his silence to threaten her. Only speaking to fellow passengers, ignoring Miranda completely. Keeping a stark reminder that their marriage would be her seen and never heard.</p><p>Madeline Astor regarded her with some sympathy, “Miranda your dress compliments your eyes. Which seamstress designed your dress?”</p><p>Miranda looked at Niall before answering, “Jacques Doucet”.</p><p>“My what a name! And I can see the design of his now! Oh how wonderful!”</p><p>“Only the best for my wife” Niall said and pulled Miranda close, “well, fiancée. Sorry I can’t seem to help myself with her”.</p><p>John Jacob nodded and looked at Miranda, “quite” before looking at his wife and smiling softly, “when you marry the one you love it does not matter what you say or look like. Love conquers”.</p><p>“It certainly does” Miranda said.</p><p>Niall squeezed her arm, bruising her instantly, and smiled tightly, “darling I promised Carlos we would finally introduce you. Apologies Mr Lord, m’Lady” he said deftly and kissed Madeline’s hand, “it was a pleasure meeting you both”.</p><p>“Likewise” Madeline said for her husband, although she didn’t mean it. Her eyes were locked on Niall’s grip.</p><p>Niall tugged Miranda away before John Jacob could kiss Miranda’s hand.</p><p>“Did you have to embarrass me like that?! Stupid bitch” he snapped.</p><p>“I didn’t- Niall i-I”</p><p>“Pathetic bitch. Nobody marries for love Miranda. Only fools and peasants”.</p><p>“Don’t you want love Niall? Don’t you want happiness?”</p><p>“I want my fiancée to shut up!” Niall hissed, “love is a game for fools!”</p><p>“Not to me it isn’t”</p><p>“Is this some suffragette thing you picked up in London? Along with your fanciful notion that women should have a right to vote”.</p><p>“Women <em>should</em> be allowed to vote. Everybody should. I don’t want the future- <em>my </em>future, dictated by the likes of you!”</p><p>Niall slapped her.</p><p>“If you don’t start acting like my wife you might just find yourself having a nasty accident” Niall hissed.</p><p>Miranda touched her cheek before she shoved him hard, “I am <em>not</em> nor will I <em>ever</em> be your wife! When this ship docks I am leaving you. Make up what you want about why I don’t care. But this ends here. I am not going to be your wife Niall Taylor. I hope you die horribly and alone!”</p><p>She hurried along the deck, ignoring the stares of the passengers as she ran.</p><p>Niall watched her go and smirked, “you” he said, gesturing to a member of the crew, “find and bring me Max Winter. He’s staying in third. Bring him to my cabins”.</p><hr/><p>Max looked at Niall, despite being a lot taller than him, the man was intimidating. He radiated a calm energy that somehow set Max on edge.</p><p>“So…Max isn’t it. Max Winter from Munich” Niall said and opened his bottle of whiskey, “would you like a drink?”</p><p>Max gulped and looked at the bottle, he shook his head, “no…thank you I’m okay”.</p><p>“Have a drink Max” Niall said and poured two glasses, pressing one into Max’s hand.</p><p>Max licked his lips and raised the glass to them, sipping it.</p><p>“That’s good uhm, very good. Nice kick” he said.</p><p>“You see, I knew we could get along. We both appreciate the finer things in life do we not?”</p><p>Max nodded, “where is Miranda?”</p><p>“Fucked if I know” Niall laughed, “she ran off earlier, yelling about something unimportant”.</p><p>“Nothing she says is ever unimportant” Max stated, “you thinking that is precisely why-“ he cut off. To spoil their plan of running away now, when the ship was docking in the morning would ruin their plan.</p><p>“Why she wants to leave me? Spend her life whoring for you?” Niall finished.</p><p>Max flushed, “I wouldn’t- she wouldn’t be whoring for me” he spluttered.</p><p>“No? So you have riches then? Enough money to care for her every need?”</p><p>Max looked away.</p><p>“I thought not…she mocks you. In every action she takes it’s a direct insult to the likes of you. Setting you up for a fall for her to laugh at later on”.</p><p>“She doesn’t do anything of the sort” Max hissed, “she’s got more heart in her than hand than you have in your whole body”.</p><p>Niall laughed, “that’s novel. Miranda having a heart? She’s a stupid bitch and when I marry her she’ll get her dues. Awful things happen to women in childbirth don’t you know”.</p><p>Max calmly placed his glass onto one side, he looked at Niall.</p><p>“Say one more thing about her and I will not hesitate in hitting you”.</p><p>Niall smirked into his glass, “and there’s our key difference Max. You’d beat her up if she so much as looked another way”.</p><p>“I would never lay a hand on Miranda! Not like you do!”</p><p>“Oh? So she’s told you I hit her has she? All lies let me assure you-“</p><p>“I don’t need an assurance from you. Let her leave quietly and we won’t make a fuss or –“</p><p>“We?” Niall smirked, “oh Max. And I had such high hopes for you”.</p><p>With a calmness to rival the ocean outside, Niall placed his glass down and walked towards Max.</p><p>“Such high hopes” he said and punched Max in the ribs, dealing him blows to the crotch and face as he bent over in pain, “you see if I let Miranda leave I’m out £100 and a wife. And I don’t want to be out £100”.</p><p>Max groaned and punched Niall back, tackling the man to the ground before he was hit on the head with the whiskey glass.</p><p>Max saw stars as Niall quickly took advantage of the situation. He kicked Max’s side and as he curled over kicked him again.</p><p>“End things with Miranda or I’ll whore her out to my friends in the South”.</p><p>“No! No you wouldn’t dare!”</p><p>“Break up with her or I’ll break <em>her</em>” Niall spat and walked out of his room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>:O</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Deep and Timeless Sea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Max walked back to his cabins, his injuries making the journey all the more tiresome. He slumped against the door; his new life had been so assured.</p><p>He was so ready to give his world to her, to be with her for all of their days. But to do so would endanger her life. To do so would ensure Niall killed Miranda.</p><p>He sighed, life was hard at the best of times.</p><p>“Max?”</p><p>Max looked up at Charlie’s approached.</p><p>“Woah who knocked you about- ohhh don’t tell me it’s your fancy ladies man? Did he finally find you out?”</p><p>“How is Margalida?” he asked instead, grinning.</p><p>“Margalida is gooood” Charlie laughed, “we’re gonna get hitched as soon as we land. That woman is a beauty”.</p><p>Max smiled softly, hours ago he was going to ask if Miranda could borrow, or rather have, one of Margalida’s outfits. Now he was on the cusp of breaking her heart.</p><p>“Good. I’m glad one of us is lucky Charlie”.</p><p>“Aren’t you? I thought you really liked that first class-“</p><p>“Miranda. Her name is Miranda” Max said, “and I do…I love her. But who am I kidding Charlie. She is – she’s first class and I am third. It’ll be better if I end things now. Save her the embarrassment of leaving her high-society way”.</p><p>Charlie shrugged, “whatever you feel is best. But- naa forget it”.</p><p>“No…what was it you were going to say?”</p><p>Charlie looked sadly at Max, “you call yourself a man who believes in those rights for women?”</p><p>“Yeah and for the record so should you. Don’t you want Margalida to have every chance possible for a good life?”</p><p>“She’s marrying me. That’s good enough right?”</p><p>Max shook his head, “no. A woman should be allowed to choose her own destiny and live as she pleases. She should be allowed to pick who we have in Parliament. Have a say in the actions taken. They shouldn’t be forced to starve themselves just so men will take action. They make up half the population, they bare our children with little to no grievance. They cook and clean and sew and look after us. They work harder than us and do they get a thanks? No! Men are allowed to vote because they are land owners they are people who have a status. Imagine if we could choose our lives and imagine if women could too. Standing here right now, we have more rights than Miranda and Margalida does because we are born men. So yes, Margalida should have every chance possible for a good life. And that might be with you. But you are of the same class, me and Miranda are different to our core. I want the best for her, I am not that”.</p><p>Charlie chuckled, “a declaration like that? How could you be anything less than perfect for her. But what do I know” he smiled, “I’m just a fool in love. Go speak with her and make your decision then. Perhaps, fool her into thinking you are ending it and then when we land take her away with a romantic gesture”.</p><p>Max smiled, “I fear if I break her heart she might just break mine too”.</p><p>“Well if that’s your attitude” Charlie laughed and hit his back, “go on off with you. The stars are out tonight and Margalida and I want some fun”.</p><p>“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do” Max stated, and Charlie laughed.</p><p>“Oh go declare your love for that Miranda lady…you never know. We might both get lucky tonight”.</p><hr/><p>Max didn’t go straight to Miranda’s cabin, instead he opted to sit for a while on deck. Alone and listening to the Titanic’s band playing in the distance.</p><p>He wasn’t entirely sure what was being played all the time, but once or twice he caught <em>Blue Danube, Estudiantina</em> and <em>Vision of Salome</em>. He could see why they had been chosen as the band. They were exceptional.</p><p>True masters of the instruments.</p><p>He had hoped they would play his mother’s favourite, <em>Nearer, My God, to Thee, </em>but it wasn’t as if they would take requests, least of all from him.</p><p>He sighed and looked at the clock through the small port windows that allowed for extra sunlight into the dining rooms.</p><p>It was approaching 11.</p><p>He must’ve sat a while with his thoughts. Miranda would be worried about him, being away from her for nearly a whole day when they had spent the last few together had been tough on him.</p><p>He mustered the energy and strength to walk down the deck’s promenade. The music grew louder as he walked closer to the inside of the ship. He took a detour to see the band themselves.</p><p>Four men to command such beauty and soul in their instruments. Playing out for all to hear; young, old, rich and poor. He stood watching them finish their latest piece before clapping.</p><p>“You are truly magnificent” he breathed, “truly”.</p><p>The violinist smiled at him, “thank you Sir. Do you have any requests?”</p><p>“<em>Nearer, My God, to Thee</em>…it was my mothers’ favourite back in Germany. It is a sad song but I think all the best ones are”.</p><p>The violinist nodded, “I quite agree…if you are about later it will be played. I’m sure you can imagine we have been inundated with requests”.</p><p>“There is no rush” Max smiled, “whatever you play is magnificent. Giving hope to us all on our journeys. Thank you”.</p><p>The violinist nodded, “your kindness is much appreciated Sir”.</p><p>Max smiled softly and moved down towards the staircase. Knowing where Miranda’s rooms were, the music gave him the confidence to approach the door and knock once.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Miranda smiled and ran to Max as he knocked on her door, she pulled him in and frowned at the dried blood on his shirt.</p><p>“What happened?” she asked and lightly touched his cheek, “Max?”</p><p>“It’s nothing” he said and looked around at her cabins.</p><p>“Max?”</p><p>“I said it's nothing Miranda” he snapped.</p><p>Miranda flinched, “i-I was just…worried. Sorry. Molly Brown has given me some wonderful information on what we can do once we arrive in New York. I’ve taken some jewels that are most valuable and put them in my bags so that we can pawn them. Give us the best possible start” she smiled.</p><p>Max looked at her, “what?”</p><p>“For our life together? We both know we cannot survive on £5 for long Max. And all third class are going to be looking for jobs too so it’s not like we will stand out. Now I’ve made a list-“</p><p>“Can’t you hear yourself?”</p><p>Miranda looked at him, “I’m sorry?”</p><p>“I met with Niall today. He gave me this and put me straight” Max stated and gestured to the blood on his collar.</p><p>“You met with Niall?! Max have you any idea how stupid that was! He could’ve killed you!”</p><p>“No…he just wised me up to a few things, namely you”.</p><p>“Max-“</p><p>“Ohhh poor little rich girl. Look at me I am being hurt by my fiancée as another man fawns all over me. So I must run away with my rich mans money” Max snapped, “you were setting me up for a fall Miranda!”</p><p>“I wasn't!” she yelled back, tears springing out of her eyes, “I didn’t Max it’s all Niall he-he he please Max don’t!” she grabbed at his shirt as he moved to the door.</p><p>“No! I can’t be near you right now! You whine and moan about being un-happy yet you go to bed with a full stomach and a smile on your face because you have everything! I had to watch my parents die from lack of food, starving myself. I have been downtrodden more times than you have had hot meals. Certainly, more times than I have had hot meals. So no, I won’t stay!”</p><p>“Max” she broke, “Max please” she gripped his shirt, “please. Please just let me explain”.</p><p>“No” he stated firmly and took her hands in his, prying them off his shirt, “I can’t even look at you right now. You think you are so perfect but let me tell you this. You are not. Not even close to it and I don't want to be stuck with you” he pushed her away and stormed out of her rooms.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Max! .... amiright??!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. A Shore Never Reached</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Because I'm kind, here is a double update</p><p>This, is update 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda collapsed to the floor sobbing, her heart in her hands. Max had left her, breaking her heart and shredding it as he did. What was the point of all this if Max still held her in disregard because of how she was born. Because of their class differences.</p><p>Believing she still valued money above love. Thinking she would set him up, make love to him and then leave him with nothing but memories.</p><p>Her body shivered in pain, shaking with rage and a fury like no other. How could a man so gentle in his love-making believe her capable of such deeds.</p><p>She looked around at her rooms and hated every inch of it. She stood and stumbled to her wardrobe. She wiped her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, the injuries from Niall were nothing compared to how broken Max had made her feel. And yet, to be feeling so much for one man she knew she was in love. Furiously so.</p><p>In love with a man who hated her.</p><p>She yanked her necklace from her neck and tossed it to the mirror, screaming as she did.</p><p>It felt so good she found herself pulling her jewellery all out and chucking it at the mirrors. Ripping at her dresses as best she could in her corset.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>Her head whirled to the door and she saw Christian standing there, watching her.</p><p>“My corset” she snapped, loosening her dress.</p><p>“w-What? Where’s Max?”</p><p>“My corset Christian! Take it off!” she ordered and turned around.</p><p>Christian ran to her side and unlaced it with ease, despite how tight Niall had done it. She took dress and corset off, the sight of it made her queasy and her thoughts flooded to Niall's abuse that morning. Grabbing her dress from that morning she pulled it over her head. There was no time for modesty. She had little care for it now.</p><p>Christian picked up her clothes, but she pulled them from him.</p><p>“I’m going to burn them” she said, “no woman should ever have to wear a corset” she said.</p><p>“You’re insane” Christian said but opened the grate for her.</p><p>“Yes” she agreed, “I must be”.</p><p>Christian looked at her, “whatever Max has said he-“</p><p>“I don’t care” she replied tossing the corset to the grate, “I love him. And if I have to spend a lifetime showing him I care for him, that it matters not what class we come from, then so be it. I will give up the world for him, give up every fabric, every jewel, every breath for Max”.</p><p>“You really do don’t you- love him I mean”.</p><p>“He is my soul Christian. And it burns to have him hate me so”.</p><p>“He doesn’t hate you Miranda” Christian said, “he loves you…i-I I told Niall all about you and Max…he threatened him with killing you…I told myself that if he broke your heart then at least he would have something to remember you by”.</p><p>“I expected you had but Niall hurt Max! He beat him up! I don’t care about my heart I care about his! How could you do that?! How could you willingly tell someone dangerous about his fiancée’s affair!”</p><p>“I had to! Niall threatened to kill you!”</p><p>“I don’t care about my life Christian I care about him! I care about Max!”</p><p>“Well we both care about you!” Christian snapped, “you remind me so much of my sister Miranda that it <em>pained</em> me each time I saw your false smiles. Each time Niall hurt you and how you accepted it. You took it without complaint when I could see the rage bubbling beneath. But then that idiot turned up and a light was switched on in you… I saw how Max changed you, saw how happy you were. I know I’m just your butler but if I <em>was</em> your brother I would be happy with him as your husband”.</p><p>Miranda sniffed and wiped her eyes, “Christian i-I”</p><p>“I’m going to get him back for you okay? I’ll confess everything. It’s the least I can do”.</p><p>He kissed her head, “I can only hope one day you both will forgive me”.</p><p>“You are a true friend to me Christian. More than a butler”.</p><p>Christian helped her stand, “get a bag together. Your new life starts tomorrow, it’ll start early”.</p><p>“Niall-“</p><p>“Let me deal with Niall”.</p><p>“Christian he’ll kill you” Miranda said, “i-I can’t-“</p><p>“Yes you can. It would be an honour to die for a worthy cause. And I can think of no other than dying with two fingers raised to that Irish bastard”.</p><p>Miranda chuckled, “thank you”.</p><p>“I’ll get him to you Miranda, if it’s the last thing I do-“</p><p>The room shuddered and Miranda gripped the wall to steady herself.</p><p>“What the hell was that?” she breathed and ran to the window as a large dark shadow passed it by.</p><p>“Iceberg” Christian said, “woah that was pretty close don’t you think?”</p><p>She nodded and pulled her cloak on. Tightening it against her body.</p><p>“I’ll be swift. I’ll bring him to you Miranda” Christian said and left her looking out of the window at the steadily disappearing iceberg.</p><hr/><p>Max stumbled, nearly falling into the wall as the ship shuddered suddenly. He had been wanting to go back to find the band, find some solace and company in their haunting tunes. But he had barely gotten there when he felt a sense of wrongness.</p><p>He looked across as the windows blackened somewhat. He ran, taking the stairs two at a time in a bid to see what the dark shade was.</p><p>As he burst out of the doors he ran to the railings and craned his neck over to see what had happened.</p><p>“Iceberg. Passed us by half an inch!”</p><p>Max turned and looked at the speaker, “you are-“</p><p>“John Jacob Astor. We met briefly the other night…I must say young man that I much prefer Miranda with yourself and not that Niall Taylor. He is an upstart. You are-“</p><p>“I have no riches I have no money. There is more things alike with me and Niall-“</p><p>“Having riches means nothing if you have nobody to share them with. That is why I married my Madeline for love”.</p><p>“And because she is pregnant”.</p><p>“Well, quite. Where is Miranda now?”</p><p>“i-I we uhm, I ended things. Much better for her”.</p><p>“I find guessing what is best for a woman is not often a safe thing to do. She might be worried about the sudden rumble, perhaps you should pay her a visit and apologise”.</p><p>Max looked at the vastly disappearing iceberg and then up at the flurry of crew members now in the Bridge, squinting he could see panic on one man's face.</p><p>“I think it was more than a rumble Sir. I think we’ve been hit”.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. My Heart Will Go On</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>double update number 2!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda dashed out of her rooms and as she ran along the corridor, she nearly bumped into a smartly dressed, if slightly worried man.</p><p>Thomas Andrews, the ships designer, Niall had introduced her to him earlier before she privately muttered there was a flaw in his ship. The flaw being not enough lifeboats by half if something were to happen.</p><p>He caught her arm, “Miranda isn’t it?”</p><p>Miranda gripped him, “what happened? Was that shudder really an iceberg? Did it hit? Is this ship going to sink?”</p><p>Thomas smiled gently, “Miranda what I’m about to tell you must be kept quiet do you understand me. So as not to cause a panic?”</p><p>Miranda nodded.</p><p>“The iceberg struck…the crew, the men they tried their best but…we’re going down. We have a few hours at best. Now remember what you worked out about those lifeboats?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and clutched her mouth, “oh my”.</p><p>“Go get your beau…that lovely German man”.</p><p>Miranda looked at him.</p><p>“You’ve been noticed by more than that Niall Taylor my dear, go get the tall man and get to a lifeboat. Be swift”.</p><p>“M-mr Andrews?” she said, “Mr Andrews w-what about everybody else? Don’t they deserve a chance to live?”</p><p>Thomas kissed her head, “tonight is not a night to be questioning the social order. Women and children no matter what their class, will be saved. If you are clever, and I know you are…you both will get on the lifeboat”.</p><p>He squeezed her arm once more and nodded to her before running down the corridor.</p><p>Miranda stared after him, “Max” she breathed and ran towards her rooms. Surely, Christian would’ve found him by now, found him and brought him to her as he promised.</p><p>She burst into her rooms and smiled as a man stood with her back to the door.</p><p>“Max!”</p><p>“Guess again my darling”</p><p>Miranda gulped as Niall Taylor turned around and held up a gun.</p><hr/><p>Miranda struggled and cried out as Niall dragged her down the corridors, “Niall please! Niall let me go! Is this really the best time to do anything other than getting on a lifeboat! Niall! Niall let me go!” she struggled harder still as he approached the lift.</p><p>Niall took one look at the man who stood in the lift, waiting to serve and glared.</p><p>“Get out” he spat and shoved Miranda into the lift.</p><p>He looked at Miranda’s frightened face and made to move when Niall pulled his gun out of his jacket, “I said get out”.</p><p>He nodded and ran out, leaving the two alone. Niall pulled the lift gate shut.</p><p>Miranda’s eyes went straight to the gun, “Niall…p-put that away. <em>Please </em>Niall”.</p><p>“You think that you’re allowed to go and fuck another man and <em>I won’t </em>find out about it?” Niall said and pressed the gun to her stomach as he pushed the lift button.</p><p>“Look at me!” he screamed at her.</p><p>She flinched and made herself look at him. He gripped her face in his and roughly kissed her, biting her lip.</p><p>She trembled underneath him.</p><p>“At least my kiss will be your last” he laughed and pulled the lift door open, he grabbed her and yanked her out, placing the gun against her temple he pulled her along a corridor that had puddles of water.</p><p>“Niall please think about it! This is murder you can’t – you can’t murder me I’m your fiancée!”</p><p>“And by the morning Niall Taylor will be mourning his poor beloved fiancée who died tragically on the Titanic” Niall stated and shoved her to her knees.</p><p>He cocked the gun.</p><p>“Niall please” she begged, “please Niall. D-Don’t shoot me”.</p><p>He fired into the water and she screamed in fright.</p><p>He smirked and smacked her head with his gun. She fell to the side, clutching her temple. She looked at the blood staining her fingers and then at Niall. She whimpered and looked at him.</p><p>“Fine. I won’t shoot <em>you</em>” he smirked, “I’ll let the waters take care of you” he said and grabbed her by her hair, “I prefer a far more torturous death for the people that cheat me. Why waste a bullet when death by drowning is much clearer?”</p><p>Miranda struggled against him as he dragged her to the pipes, “you stay here or I’ll go and shoot your boyfriend”.</p><p>Miranda trembled and nodded. Niall walked down the corridor, looking in each room for something he could use to chain her to the pipes.</p><p>He came across the Master at Arms’ office and smirked, “bingo” before he moved in. the room was filled with strewn about paperwork, keys and many drawers. In the round window above he could see the start of water rising outside, the Titanic was going down despite what his class said. He smirked, yanking open drawers until he came across a set of handcuffs. He moved out of the room and looked at Miranda, still by the pipes, trying desperately not to cry.</p><p>“So, you can obey orders” he remarked and pulled her up, chaining one wrist to the pipes he stroked her face, his thumb brushed her bleeding lip.</p><p>“You could’ve had the world” he stated.</p><p>“I don’t want the world” she shivered, “I want Max. He is far more of a man than you’ll ever be”.</p><p>Niall laughed, “still firey? Don’t worry, I hear the waters this time of year are exceptionally cold”.</p><p>He dealt a blow to her stomach and made her double over, he gripped her chin again and leaned in, “he’s a scum. You two deserve one another” he let her go and laughed as he walked to the stairs.</p><p>“He’s a better man than you!” Miranda yelled at him, “I’m glad that he’s the only man I’ve been with! The only man to have me as a lover should”.</p><p>Niall turned and looked at her and laughed, “I always knew you were a whore, now this just confirms it. So thank you dear, for saving me the embarrassment of marrying you” he shot into the water once more to make her yelp before he left her. Alone as the water began to rise.</p><hr/><p>Max glared at Christian, “I care about her Christian! I broke he heart to save from Niall hurting her and you are telling me he is going to do that anyway! I love her! I love her so much I broke her heart! The ship is going down! Now is not the time to be picking sides! You’ve seen what he does to her when I speak to her imagine what he would do if he found out that you were on our side”.</p><p> “I don’t give a damn about my own existence you shithead. I care about Miranda and you care about her. Your argument is redundant. This madness is the perfect opportunity for you two both to live happily ever after”.</p><p>“Where is she?”</p><p>“She was in her rooms. I told her I would get you but I heard shouting from the corridors. That’s why I came here. I knew you’d be smart and be on deck. He’ll know she’ll see this as an opportunity to escape him and he’ll make her pay…he won’t let her live happily ever after with you and if he finds out you slept together-”</p><p>“He’ll kill her” Max whispered, “where are they Christian? Where are they?!”</p><p>“h-He uhm, he would know…he’d know the ship is sinking so he would…he’d take her down as low as he could”.</p><p>Max shot off down the corridors.</p><p>“Max! MAX!” Christian yelled and chased after him.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Christian ran after Max, running and bumping into passenger after passenger. Hoping that he wouldn’t bump into Niall as he did.</p><p>“Max! Max wait!” Christian yelled and grabbed Max’s arm, “we need to be careful and quick. We don’t have long till the ship sinks. He would have taken her somewhere that would be filling up quick. Perhaps just below your rooms”.</p><p>“Maybe” Max rubbed his head, “maybe the Master at Arms?”</p><p>“E Deck” Christian said, “you get her and I’ll keep Niall from seeing you”.</p><p>“Christian…Niall will know…he’ll-“</p><p>“I know”.</p><p>“Thank you Christian” Max said before running off towards E Deck.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miranda rattled the cuffs, screaming, begging, pleading for someone to run down the stairs and find her.</p><p>She didn’t like to be at the mercy of someone else but with the water rapidly rising against her legs she couldn’t care less about having to be rescued.</p><p>“HELP! HELP!” she screamed and banged on the rails, “please! Someone! HELP!”</p><p>Miranda cried as more water flooded down the corridor, “PLEASE!” she screamed. She bashed at the railings.</p><p>“FOR GOD’S SAKE SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!”</p><p>“My God you are loud!”</p><p>“MAX?!”</p><p>Max ran down the steps and towards her, “Miranda!” he yelled as he waded through the waters, “Miranda i-I I’m so sorry i-I” he kissed her hard and stroked her face, “my Schatz I-I’m so sorry”.</p><p>“Max” she cried in relief, “Max y-you came for me?”</p><p>“Of course” he said and cupped her cheeks in his, “come on lets’ go get a boat. Okay?”</p><p>“Niall, he chained me to this stupid thing” Miranda said and rattled the chains, “I don’t know where the keys are”.</p><p>Max looked at the water and then all around the corridor, he looked back at Miranda, “okay I’m going to find them. I’m going to get the keys or get something to get you free. But I am coming back Miranda. I promise” he kissed her again.</p><p>Miranda gripped his hand in hers, “w-we still getting off together?”</p><p>Max smiled at her, “of course Schatz. I’m yours forever”.</p><p>“Niall got them from the room down there…t-the third one. Max please hurry I can’t swim”.</p><p>“Oh, you picked a great time to learn” he chuckled, “middle of the ocean on a sinking ship”.</p><p>“Max!” Miranda snapped, “just please…hurry” she whispered and hung her head, “I don’t want to die”.</p><p>He kissed her head, “I’ll be back. I will. If I have to search for something else I want you to keep banging okay? Keep banging and screaming”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and sniffed, “please hurry”.</p><p>“I will. Third one?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and watched him run down towards the room, wading through the waters. She sniffed and waited as he kicked the door open. The room was slowly filling with water, the place was ransacked, papers wet and drawers emptied. He looked across and saw a cupboard of keys.</p><p>“Miranda! There are keys in here! Which one?!”</p><p>“<em>What</em>?”</p><p>“Which key?!” he poked his head out of the door and looked back at her, “what does it say on the cuffs?”</p><p>She turned and looked at them, “it -It says nothing Max! It’s just plain silver!”</p><p>“Schiesse” he whispered, “There are a lot of silver keys here. How big is the lock?!”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“How big is the lock?”</p><p>“Small…it won’t be a big lock”.</p><p>Max nodded and looked back at the keys, he looked at each one and kicked a chair. He knew none would fit, knowing he would have to abandon Miranda was not something he was happy about.</p><p>He grabbed the chair and waded out to her.</p><p>“Okay good news, I have a chair for you to stand on”.</p><p>“Max” Miranda said warily, “w-what’s the bad news?”</p><p>“There wasn’t a key – but don’t worry! I’ll go find something I promise!”</p><p>“Max the water is rising fast! I-I t-please don’t let me die alone. Please” she cried, letting the tears fall down her cheeks.</p><p>“Hey” he breathed and stroked them away, “I’m not going to leave you Miranda. I promised” he kissed her tears and helped her to stand on the chair, “I’ll find a way to get you free I will. Keep focusing on our plan to live together forever”.</p><p>“m-Max?”</p><p>“I’ll be back Schatz” he smiled and kissed her again, “promise”.</p><p>“Max i-if you can’t find anything…get on a lifeboat? Live for me. In my rooms is a bag full of jewels for you to have and sell, make a life-“</p><p>“If I can’t get you out I am not getting off this ship. I’ll die holding you in my arms sooner than abandon you to die alone”.</p><p>Miranda squeezed his hand with her free one, “be quick”. He nodded and moved to the stairs, half swimming as he got to the steps.</p><p>“Max?”</p><p>Max looked back at Miranda. She was shivering but despite her situation she was looking as bold as ever.</p><p>“I love you Max Winter”.</p><p>Max swam back to her, “you mean that?”</p><p>“Of course I mean that!” she snapped, “I wouldn’t have said it when I’m about to drown!”</p><p>“Schiesse!” he moved back to the steps and looked back at her, “Oh and Schatz? I love you too”.</p><p>Max ran up the stairs and looked at the stark white walls, they all looked so similar and in the panic of the passengers running out of their rooms the doors being open had their advantages.</p><p>He looked at the closet ones, committing their image to memory before he ran to the end of the corridor and looked left and right. He smiled as he saw the fire-safety axe. He ran to it, using his arm and shoulder, bashed at it. The glass cracked but didn’t smash.</p><p>He groaned and kicked at it, splintering it. He caught the axe and ran back down to the stairs.</p><p>“Miranda? Miranda are you okay?”</p><p>“M-M-a-X!” she gasped out. The waters had risen over the chair. He waded down to her, “my love you do get into trouble with water don’t you” he said and held up the axe.</p><p>“Why the hell have you got an axe?!”</p><p>“I didn’t think a pocket knife would cut through metal” he shrugged, “I’m going to chop above and lift you into my arms, okay?”</p><p>Miranda nodded quick, “I trust you”.</p><p>Max smiled, “be a terrible thing to do if we hadn’t already fallen in love. Me coming at you with an axe”.</p><p>Miranda snorted, “you and your lines” she shivered as she looked at the water.</p><p>“Hold your breath” he said as she jumped into the water. Max whacked the axe against the pipes and after hearing a satisfying snap he tossed the axe into the water. Miranda clutched him as he lifted her hand over the now broken pipe. She smiled up at him and he grinned, “lets’ go start our life Schatz”.</p><p>He gripped her hand in his and waded her towards the steps.</p><p>Together they clutched each other as they walked up and finally out of the waters.</p><p>Miranda smiled at him and laughed as they kissed each other again. He stroked her face and kissed her again. He took her hand in his, “let’s get up higher okay?” suddenly conscious that the waters were hitting his ankles.</p><p>Miranda nodded and squeezed his hand before they took off running towards the steps. Despite the mad rush of passengers, desperate to get out and up to the top of the ship, it didn’t matter to Miranda or Max.</p><p>They were together and nothing could stop them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>do I double update ???</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Hymn To The Sea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>double update n2!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Max kept their hands together, not wanting to lose contact with her when so much was at stake. They knew not how long they had but it felt like time was running against them.</p><p>They dashed up deck after deck until they reached B deck.</p><p>Miranda gripped him tightly as a rush of women and children pushed past them. Breathing him in she gripped his shirt and trembled as they ran past.</p><p>“You know for someone who wants to go on those marches you don’t like a lot of people do you?” Max joked.</p><p>“I hate being closed in” she said, “spaces…too many people”.</p><p>Max nodded and rubbed her back, “see we’re learning more and more about each other. I hate being cold”.</p><p>Miranda nodded, “good job we’re not on a sinking ship then”.</p><p>Max laughed, “Schatz” he chided, “you can’t go around saying things like that”.</p><p>“Why not?” she asked, hands on hips. Notwithstanding the current situation, Miranda seemed more alive and ready to fight for her rights than before.</p><p>Which was good given that not half an hour ago she was ready to die.</p><p>“Because it makes me laugh and laughing right now is very inappropriate” he grinned and she chuckled.</p><p>“Guess so…Max…we need a life jacket or something we just need to get onto a boat and be safe”.</p><p>Max nodded.</p><p>“If we can make to my cabin I can grab that bag. I know some French o-or I can just use Welsh. Act like I can’t understand the situation and I need you with me”.</p><p>Max smiled, “your room. We best hurry Schatz. Your room is at the wonkiest end”.</p><p>“That does not seem like it should be a word Max Winter”.</p><p>“Well if it wasn’t before it is now. I made it up. Wonkiest”.</p><p>Miranda rolled her eyes but pulled him towards the Grand Staircase, dodging the panic and stillness with ease.</p><p>A shot fired down at them.</p><p>Miranda yelped and pulled Max close. The pair looked around for the source and gripped each other when they saw Niall.</p><p>He laughed, “so persistent aren’t you…I should’ve shot you when I had a chance”.</p><p>Miranda pulled Max towards the staircase as Niall began running towards them, firing at them as blindly as they ran down the staircase together.</p><p>Max looked at the rising water levels. Tables and chairs bobbed about in the water, spurts of which fired back at them as Niall shot into them.</p><p>Max dragged her towards the First Class Reception area, it was slowly starting to fill but nowhere near as bad as the floors below. To go any further would push their luck.</p><p>She pulled him underneath a table as Niall ran into the room. Gripping him tightly she shivered. Pressing her body to his.</p><p>Max held her and covered her mouth with his hand. They watched Niall looked around the room.</p><p>“I know you are here. You’re both going to die tonight anyway. I’m offering you a chance to die with mercy and not drown. Come on ouuuut”.</p><p>Max held Miranda tighter and kissed her head softly.</p><p>“Let them be Niall”.</p><p>Max and Miranda’s eyes darted to the door as water flooded in slowly, Christian stood blocking the exit as a table hit the sides. It stopped the water instantly but it wouldn’t hold for long.</p><p>The water would rise up and flood their compartment.</p><p>“Christian? And I thought you were faithful”.</p><p>“I was. Until Miranda showed me how much happier anyone was without you. You’ve terrorised her enough. Let her be happy. You both can be, this disaster is the perfect out for the pair of you. You can come out of this a grieving man who lost his fiancée on the Titanic and she can come out of this free to be with Max”.</p><p>Max gulped as Niall slowly lowered the gun.</p><p>“Did you hear that sweetheart? I leave now and you get your own way and I get mine”.</p><p>Christian smiled slightly, he knew somewhere in this room was Max and Miranda. Whereabouts he was unsure of but he could feel their presence, like a man feeling the sun on his back on a cloudy day.</p><p>“I tell you what you might wanna move out of the way there Christian. That water is getting mighty high”.</p><p>Christian turned and saw the water level had rose as high as the table. It was near on floating, ready to lift and send a cascade of water into their path.</p><p>Max’s hand left Miranda’s mouth and he pushed them ever so slightly backwards.</p><p>He nodded to a doorway just behind them. If they were quick, Niall wouldn’t see them. He’d be too distracted by the waters rising and want to escape himself.</p><p>Miranda gulped as Christian laughed at Niall, “perhaps I should move and let you get back up to a lifeboat”.</p><p>“I think that wise” Niall agreed and walked down towards him.</p><p>“I said perhaps I should” Christian stated and dove for Niall’s gun, battling the man for it he yelled, “Run! Miranda! Max! RUN!”</p><p>Max grabbed Miranda and pulled her from the table as Christian took hit after hit from Niall as he desperately fought for control. Max urged Miranda down the stairs first and looked back at Christian before he saw Niall take a shot.</p><p>Two things happened at once and in such slow motion, Max thought he was dreaming.</p><p>The first, was Christian falling to the floor, dead.</p><p>The second, was the table floating aside to allow water to flood steadily into the dining room.</p><p>Niall looked at Max, “she’s all yours now. I’m not dying for her. You both can do that together”.</p><p>Before he fought and waded through the waters to the stairs.</p><p>Max ran down to Miranda and she looked terrified, “I heard a shot” she snapped and hugged him tightly, “I thought he’d shot you!”</p><p>“No not me…Christian…I-I’m sorry”.</p><p>Miranda moved to run up the stairs but Max grabbed her hand and swung her back to him, “we can’t Miranda. The water is moving in fast we have to find a way up that the crew used. We have to be fast. It’s only a matter of time before- oh…yay”.</p><p>Miranda followed his gaze and saw a door. Two doors. She saw the reason behind why he sounded so exasperated. They were about to burst.</p><p>He gripped her hand and pulled her down the hallway as they burst. Sending a flood of water towards them.</p><p>“I think that was the swimming pool!” Max yelled and grabbed a hold of a pipe from above when it became clear they would not out run it. He pulled Miranda close and she found her own pipe to grip onto.</p><p>“It’s a wave” he said, “hold your breath” he ordered, “Miranda? Miranda hold your breath okay?” he repeated as she looked in a fright at the water.</p><p>She nodded and quickly held it as the water hit them. It pushed against them, going around, under and between. She felt her feet lift from the ground and Max’s arm hold on her increase.</p><p>He pushed her and himself up to the roof and gasped as the water settled around them.</p><p>“Max” she spluttered, “please don’t let me go” she sniffed, “please”.</p><p>“I won’t Schatz. I promise”.</p><p>He pulled her along, remembering her confession of not being able to swim, as they fought against the waters’ strength. Max took in the details of the corridor, from plates to signs. They would soon rest on the bottom of the ocean, there to rest forevermore. It was haunting to think their eyes were gazing at the most simplest of things and would be the last souls to see it.</p><p>“Max stairs!” Miranda gasped and suddenly lost her grip on him.</p><p>Max whirled around in a panic as lights went out and he was forced down the corridor by the water.</p><p>Diving underneath he found he could see slightly better. He could also see Miranda’s dress was trapped by lift doors. He swam hard towards her, only letting himself breath one her hands grasped his. He swam up and took a deep breath when he realised Miranda couldn’t swim high up enough to do so.</p><p>He pressed his lips to hers and breathed oxygen into her. She gripped him and he nodded before swimming to her foot. Yanking at the fabric together. It ripped, tearing off an embroidered flower from the bottom of the dress. They floated to the top quick, gasping for air. Max grabbed the pipes above and kept their position, pushed her to the steps. They stumbled up them and were relieved to see the gate that looked to be between them, and safety was merely pushed back and not locked.</p><p>Miranda fell to her knees and sobbed, coughing up water.</p><p>Max rubbed her back and kissed her head, “we have to keep moving Miranda. This ship…she’ll fill from the front first and snap like a twig”.</p><p>“But she’s-“</p><p>“It won’t be an even break. We need to keep heading up but to the back okay? To where we first met. If we can’t get a lifeboat we stay there okay?”</p><p>“I-I okay” she smiled and pulled him into a kiss.</p><p>“You’re cold” he said softly and pulled his jacket over her shoulders. He pulled her up to stand and smiled.</p><p>She gripped his hand tightly and they moved up towards the top deck. Barraging past women who were dragging screaming children away from their fathers. Men who were openly weeping. Men who were stoic, determined to face their fate with dignity and gravitas.</p><p>An elderly couple who were holding hands and moving back towards their rooms, looking afraid but ultimately content with their decision.</p><p>Miranda sniffed as they were ushered towards the lifeboats.</p><p>“<em>Any more women and children?! This is the last boat! Any more women and children!”</em></p><p>Miranda’s grip on his hand tightened as women pushed past or were pushed past and towards the lifeboats. They could hear children crying and wailing over the sound of the engines.</p><p>But throughout that cacophony of noise, Max heard music.</p><p>“Schatz do you hear that?”</p><p>Miranda looked at him, he smiled and nodded to the band that had emerged from the first class lounge and onto the boat deck.</p><p>“Autumn” Miranda breathed, “I love that song. I used to play it on the piano with my mother”.</p><p>Max held her close and kissed her head, “forgive me Schatz”.</p><p>Miranda looked up at him, “forgive you for what?”</p><p>He smiled sadly and stroked her face, “you will take the world by storm with your wonderful views and determination. Never lose that my love” he kissed her hands and gripped her tightly, “here! Take her! Please!” he pushed past the passengers and dragged a protesting Miranda towards the lifeboat.</p><p>“No! MAX! NO!” she yelled and struggled more as Max lifted her into the lifeboat. He kept their hands touching until it was impossible to hold on without risking her life. He stepped back and was joined surprisingly by Niall Taylor.</p><p>“Max no please!” she sobbed and tried to get out of the boat.</p><p>“Stay there darling. Max and I will get the next one. You’ll see. Then we can all find happiness in New York”.</p><p>“<em>LOWER</em>!”</p><p>Miranda looked at Max with fury and a strong sense of brokenness that would stay with him until his final moments which would be mercifully soon.</p><p>“Well look at that…we both lose” Niall said.</p><p>Max stiffened at Niall’s words but kept his eyes on Miranda.</p><p>“Ich liebe dich” he called to her.</p><p>Miranda stood, shivering. Staring at the two men. An ex-fiancée and her lover. United by seeing her on a lifeboat and off to safety.</p><p>Off to a world lacking in votes and rights. In health and safety on ships.</p><p>Lacking in love.</p><p>“NO” she yelled and moved quickly to the edge of the lifeboat, leaping across before anyone could pull her back.</p><p>She hit the side of the ship, painfully, but managed to pull herself up and onto the lower deck. With the kindness of strangers she was able to stand up.</p><p>She pushed away from them and ran towards the main staircase, towards Max and certain death.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>RIP Christian &lt;3</p><p>Ich liebe dich- I love you</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Nearer, My God, to Thee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The ship is going down, but who will survive? If any of them? The chapter title comes from both the film soundtrack but also because it was claimed to be the last song played by the infamous "Band That Played On".</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Max and Niall sprang into action as Miranda jumped back onto the ship. Max ran back towards the staircase as Niall followed.</p><p>“She was going to be happy and alive. Why did she have to jump back” Niall snapped and shoved Max into the wall, “she would’ve been forced to bear my name as hers”.</p><p>“That is perhaps why she jumped” Max snapped and shoved him back, “you bullied and belitted her. You hit her, you tried to break her down but it still wasn’t enough. She is strong, stronger than all of us combined. And she chooses me. Me! A man with nothing to his name and with only love to give!”</p><p>Niall laughed, and raised his gun.</p><p>“I should kill you”.</p><p>“Then go ahead. You’ll be dead in an hour anyway. Your riches mean nothing to me or to her. In the end, not even money cannot survive help you to survive a sinking” Max said and turned away, running down the stairs. He turned back and looked at Niall, still with his gun held tightly in his hand.</p><p>Niall looked around at the men dressed in their finery, ready to go down in their best. Dignified to the last. The men born of riches he had worked so hard to have himself. </p><p>“We only have an hour left on this ship and you’re wanting to kill us even now?”</p><p>“No” Niall said, “no…why waste a bullet on you two…clearly so destined to be together you’d rather die than be apart”.</p><p>Max gulped as he raised the gun, “Niall?”</p><p>“Probably for the best ey …rather a quick death than a painful one. Least this way <em>she</em> doesn't get to determine my death” he said before turning the gun on himself.</p><p>“NO!” Max yelled and reached out towards the man.</p><p>Max turned away as Niall fell backwards over the staircase. It didn't take him long to hit the waters, they were so close now. The people surrounding him, to his surprise just looked at the space Niall once stood.</p><p>“2AM” one man said offhandedly.</p><p>Max looked in disbelief, their attitude, so crass even at the end. A man had taken charge of his own life and ended it on his own terms rather than death by drowning.</p><p>Even in death Niall Taylor had forged his own path.</p><p>“<em>Max</em>!”</p><p>Max turned and saw Miranda running through the first class lounge and towards him, she pulled him close and kissed him hard.</p><p>He stumbled and gripped her tight, kissing her back he smiled, “you stupid woman you had a chance to live!”</p><p>“There is no life without you Max. Don’t try to make me live one” she said, “now we need to hurry. The Verandah its near gone! The Bridge…it..it’s going the Captain… We need to go back to where we met”.</p><p>He stroked he face and nodded. They steadied one another as the ship tilted again.</p><p>Miranda looked behind them and saw the waters had fast become a ground for floating bodies. She hurried the picture out of her mind and grabbed Max’s hand. Dragging him back towards where she had come from. Up through the dining room and towards the band.</p><p>Max stopped as he saw a man standing at the fireplace.</p><p>“s-Sir?”</p><p>He turned and looked at them both. His face cracked into a smile, “Miranda”.</p><p>“Mr Andrews!” she said and squeezed Max’s hand, “I got him…although I’m afraid there are no more boats left”.</p><p>“I think that was a flaw of mine…yes…one I hope shall be rectified in the future…enough lifeboats for all on board on every ship” he checked his pocket watch and adjusted the clock on the mantle.</p><p>“I suspect we have less than 20 minutes now Miranda…you might want to find something to hold onto”.</p><p>Max squeezed her hand back, “Aren't you going to have a try for it, Mr. Andrews?”</p><p>Thomas Andrews smiled sadly at him, “no son…no. I should’ve designed her better…ensured a slower sinking…saved more souls…no. The Captain is going down with the ship and so shall I. Godspeed to you both”.</p><p>Max nodded and slowly moved Miranda away from the room as Thomas Andrews pocketed his watch.</p><p>As they emerged at the stern of the ship, Max heard the band once more, they had finished <em>Autumn</em> and were now playing another song, most likely their last as the boat was sinking faster and faster.</p><p>“Nearer, my God, to Thee” he breathed and looked up at the stars, “Mutter beschütze uns diese Nacht” he said.</p><p>Miranda shivered, “m-Max..Max the ship! She’s -she’s tilting!”</p><p>“We need to move fast. Once she snaps in half we will bob for a bit but then go down rapidly. You see where we met” he pointed to the long pole that Miranda had once gripped, a lifetime ago now.</p><p>“We get to there and we are home free Schatz”.</p><p>“It’s quite a way” she said.</p><p>“We can make it. I promise you, we will <em>not</em> die on this ship” he held her hand tightly and moved onwards towards the end of the ship. Feeling anxious about just how many other people had the same idea as them. But he didn’t have to worry. As the band finished playing and a deafening silence overwhelmed the souls still alive on board the ship, a lone reverend began to pray.</p><p>Max saw this opportunity and pulled Miranda up through the once flat deck, navigating them over railings and stray ropes that had once held up the four funnels. Now all lost to the ocean. He held them against the initial railings as the front end of the Titanic became submerged.</p><p>Miranda watched as the Bridge flooded. She thought she spotted two men jumping out at the last second but there was lots of people moving so fast, she couldn’t sure. The Titanic lifted up, slowly, surely, ready to take her final decent.</p><p>A loud crack emanated from what would’ve been her middle. Certainly just before the beautiful glass dome that was above the Grand Staircase. She focused on that as water broke through.</p><p>Max looked around at the lifeboats that were sailing away. Their lights the only thing in the darkness. Titanic’s lights were going. Their fuses finally failing as she broke in two.</p><p>Passengers of all ages, genders, classes fell through the cracks. Some went overboard and some fell into the ship.</p><p>In the back of his mind he hoped Charlie was in the waters swimming away with Margalida. But in his heart he knew he was most likely trapped underneath. Dead.</p><p>“So many souls” Miranda whispered as the ship shuddered and levelled out.</p><p>“We have to move” Max said and wrenched himself from the railings, “Now! Miranda!” he pulled her down and ran quickly to the far end of the ship, climbing over it together as the final piece of the Titanic started to rise up.</p><p>Together they watched unfortunate bodies fall and slide to their deaths, some fell down starboard and others port side. Most fell straight and some even jumped.</p><p>Max kissed her hand.</p><p>“I can think of no finer way to go than by your side Miranda Blake” he said.</p><p>“Nor I you” she said and looked at him, “I love you”.</p><p>“I love you too” he smiled and kissed her once more, “remember to hold your breath. I’m not letting you go, but we’ll only get one chance to breathe”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and looked at a man in white sat muttering on top of the railings. He took a swig from a bottle and she caught a soft murmur of prayer from him for their lives as well as his own.</p><p>She looked down at the rapidly approaching water. It was so loud and feisty.</p><p>Max gripped her hand tight enough to bruise as the water approached faster and faster, claiming the last parts of the Titanic he yelled, “das ist das Ende...NOW!”</p><p>And Miranda held her breath as they were pulled underneath as the Titanic disappeared from the world.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Being submerged under water twice in one evening was beginning to test Miranda’s patience. But with Max’s hand in hers she didn’t feel so worried about being underwater. He smiled at her from underneath the waters and pulled them up.</p><p>Gasping and spluttering the sudden noise of the dying.</p><p>Their screams and pleas for help and the lifeboats who ignored them was heart-breaking. Even if she knew in her heart they would swamp the boats and lead to more deaths. It was devasting to hear.</p><p>Max, true to his word, kept her hand in his as they struggled to stay afloat.</p><p>“Kick your legs and move your free arm like I am okay? It might not be graceful, but it’ll help you stay afloat and keep your body from going into shock at the cold”.</p><p>Miranda nodded and did as he said, the moved towards a sea of quiet survivors. Their paleness rivalled her own until she realised they weren’t just quiet survivors. They were the dead. Those who had already perished. Her body felt so weary that she was surprised she wasn’t already one of them herself.</p><p>Max pushed them aside and found a panel, he breathed a sigh of relief, “you see. We get onto that and we can wait as long as they need us to. They’ll be back for us Miranda”. He turned to her and frowned.</p><p>“Miranda?”</p><p>He ignored the panel and swam back around, through the bodies, “MIRANDA!” he yelled into the night sky.</p><p>“Schatz” he sobbed, and looked around, swimming back to the panel he pulled himself aboard and looked around at the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.</p><p>But to his utter sorrow, he found none.</p><p>Miranda was gone, he had lost her in the panic of trying to save her.</p><hr/><p>Miranda was very cold. In her heart and soul, she had never felt a numbness like it. She felt sure that she was dead. Dying at least.</p><p>The night was so still and calm. The screams of the dying still rang in her ears yet all around her was silence.</p><p>Her legs were frozen as she slumped lifelessly across what was once either a door or a collapsed boat. She neither knew nor cared. Her body was shivering and the air around her was white as she breathed out slowly.</p><p>It would be so much easier to slip away.</p><p>To let go of the door and let the ocean consume her. Her life had changed in such a short space of time and as much as she longed to live. To be free and happy with Max, her dreams were a distant memory now. Fallen into the ocean alongside Max.</p><p>Perhaps dying here tonight wouldn’t be so bad. At least it was quiet. </p><p>She smiled softly and shut her eyes, letting herself slip back into the water as an unfamiliar warmth covered her. Shielding her from the pain of drowning.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Mutter beschütze uns diese Nacht. - Mother protect us this night<br/>das ist das Ende- this is the end</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. A Life So Changed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to everyone who has left a comment, kudos or read this fic! This one is for YOU &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>8:30 15 APRIL 1912 SS CARPATHIA</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The survivors had been lifted from lifeboat to deck, slowly from the hour in which the <em>Carpathia</em> had arrived the scene. The crews had been working tirelessly from 4AM onwards in their efforts to save the survivors of the <em>Titanic</em>. The ones who had died as they travelled were taken away with gentle sorrow as families sobbed with strangers. The passengers of the SS <em>Carpathia</em> donated blankets, clothes, anything they could think of. Each survivor took to the new ship with varying degrees of hysteria and relief. One skinny man, with a moustache and hat on was desperate to hide. Guilt, perhaps at surviving when so many had perished.</p><p>To many aboard the <em>Carpathia</em>, nobody knew his face, but to the survivors he was an enemy.</p><p>To the highest-ranking officer to survive the wreck, Charles Lightoller, he was a heathen.</p><p>His Captain and the First Officer had perished, the architect had gone down with the ship, but the owner, Ismay had survived. And not out of luck that was for sure. So many souls were lost that night due to the panic of how to fill the scarce amount of lifeboats and Ismay had done just that.</p><p>There would be many a knife in his back should he dare show his face on deck.</p><hr/><p>Miranda wept silent tears as she was hauled aboard the new ship. She was too cold to move and too numb to feel anything but despair. Max was dead, she knew it. She herself was only barely alive.</p><p>A blanket was around her shoulders but she had no idea as to who had given it her or when, the morning had been a blur from the moment her hand left Max's.</p><p>“Name?”</p><p>Miranda shivered and looked at the officer speaking to her.</p><p>“What’s your name love?” he asked, gently this time.</p><p>“Miranda” she whispered, and as an after-thought, “Winter…Miranda Winter” she repeated with a small amount of confidence.</p><p>“Here” he said and handed her a strip of paper, “you’ve been marked as alive Mis-“</p><p>“Mrs” she corrected, “Max Winter is my husband…i-is he al<em>ive</em>?” her voice cracked.</p><p>He checked his records and sighed, “no record on my papers Mrs Winter but there are many officers about this ship, he could be there”.</p><p>Miranda nodded but didn’t feel hopeful for a second.</p><p>“Thank you” she said and gripped the paper tightly. As she surveyed the crowded deck, listening to the many men, women and children sobbing in grief and joy at being reunited with one another. She realised she was alone.</p><p>Christian was dead.</p><p>Niall was…hopefully dead but she didn’t dare look for him. She was free from him and his mapped out life full of abuse and babies. Let him believe Miranda Blake died tragically on the <em>Titanic</em>. It would get him sympathy from women enough to give him what he wanted.</p><p>Charlie, Kurt, Jens and Jacob were all most likely dead, trapped in third-class as the ship took on water.  And she would've seen them by now. Or heard them.</p><p><em>Painful way to die</em> Max’s words echoed in her ear.</p><p>Had their meeting nearly been a week ago already? And since then so much has happened.</p><p>She’d broken free from her chains, physical and metaphorical and been given a chance at happiness. A chance at love.</p><p>Max.</p><p>He’d charmed his way into her heart and she’d locked the door behind him. The two content to die together or live together.</p><p>The second they had hit the water and the wave had taken her away from him she knew he was lost.</p><p>The sea had captured her love and kept him for herself. Selfishly, Miranda wished she had been the one to die. Max was the one full of life and had a soul deserved of a place on Earth. Not her.</p><p>She felt like a walking dead as she moved from officer to officer, speaking so quietly she often had to repeat herself. Her resolve weakened when Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown saw her.</p><p>“Miranda!”</p><p>She cracked and broke in Molly’s arms, sobbing as though she were an infant.</p><p>“He’s dead. H-he I -I he’s dead Molly”.</p><p>Molly held her and rubbed her arms, “It’s going to be okay sweetheart. It is. It’s all going to be okay” she soothed and rubbed her back, “we have lost a lot this day and our wounds are sore but we are strong. We’re women” she said, “Max would want you to live”.</p><p>“I can’t” she breathed, “I just can’t not without him. No please don’t make me” she sobbed.</p><p>Molly held her close and kept the blanket tight around her, “you can. We all can, there are ladies here who have lost families, husbands, sons, daughters. We can survive and we will sweetheart”.</p><p>“How?” Miranda sniffed, “how could I possibly get over this? I love Max I can’t be without him”.</p><p>“Oh darling” Molly breathed and rubbed her back again, “we just take what life has to throw at us with a smile sometimes, even despite our grief”.</p><p>“Excuse me…you are Miranda?”</p><p>Miranda wiped her eyes and looked at the dark haired woman. She looked fierce enough that Miranda wondered if they had worked out she was Miranda Blake and not Miranda Winter as they had thought.</p><p>“y-Yes” she said.</p><p>“There is a man looking for you a Max Winter”.</p><p>Molly squeezed her side, “you see, life throws curves at us all the time”.</p><p>“I am Inés Villegas, you must hurry” Inés stated as Miranda stood.</p><p>“Is Max okay? Is he hurt?”</p><p>“He is fine. He just won’t stop pestering everyone in the first class area. Your husband is very annoying”.</p><p>Miranda looked back at Molly, “t-thank you”.</p><p>“Take good care dear, drop by anytime you are in Colorado or New York”.</p><p>“We will” Miranda stated and followed Inés up the stairs of the Carpathia’s deck and past dozens of Titanic survivors. Rumours had been escalating that over 1000 had perished. The sight of so many first-class survivors sickened her.</p><p>But in amongst all of these passengers, all of these survivors was Max. Her Max.</p><p>“Please has anybody seen her? She is about this tall…blonde hair, please her name is Miranda Blake. Please I am begging just some information please my name is Max Winter”.</p><p>Miranda smiled as Max desperately clutched at people’s arms. Some took sympathy on him, shaking their heads and gesturing for the officers with registers.</p><p>She smiled as he turned to one and asked for her name.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Miranda Blake is listed as one of the dead, sorry son”.</p><p>Max felt his world rip in two, how could he be complete again after hearing those words, <em>one of the dead</em>. Surely he must be one too? How could he survive as Miranda lay floating in the waters miles away. All alone.</p><p>So cold and alone.</p><p>His only solace was that Niall Taylor was also dead. After witnessing him murder Christian and finding that he had chained Miranda to pipes despite the sinking ship, the man deserved to be fish food. But not Miranda, never Miranda.</p><p>“Has your name been taken down yet son?”</p><p>Max shook his head, “Miranda is dead” he breathed.</p><p>The officer, clearly now used to the survivors being near catatonic, smiled sadly at him, “your name son”.</p><p>“Max Winter” Max finally said.</p><p>“Winter…ah your wife was asking about you earlier. She was a Miranda too. In fact that’s her!”</p><p>Max looked up and saw Miranda shivering in a blanket, his jacket still clinging to her frame, but watching him with wide eyes. Eyes that held love and disbelief in them.</p><p>“Miranda” he smiled and moved quickly to her. She moved to him at the same time, their united realisation that they were <em>both</em> alive and not left alone in the world spurred them on. He pressed his lips to hers and held her tightly, “Miranda I was so worried” he breathed and sniffed, “I thought you dead I searched I-i-“</p><p>‘I changed my name” she said, “Miranda Winter. I didn’t want Niall to find me”.</p><p>“He’s didn’t make it” Max said, “he’s fish food”.</p><p>Miranda smiled wide and kissed him again.</p><p>“You want to be Miranda Winter for real?” he asked her, slipping his hands in her blanket to warm her with his hands.</p><p>“I do” she smiled, nodding, “very much so”.</p><p>Max grinned, “then that is the first thing we do when we get to New York okay Schatz? I don’t want to spend any more time without you as my wife. To spend even a day without that title is too long”.</p><p>Miranda smiled and kissed him again, “they say we’ll be in New York by the 18<sup>th</sup>” she breathed against his lips.</p><p>He smiled, “our wedding day” he grinned and kissed her again, “my Schatz, meine Frau”.</p><p>“Mein Ehemann” she smiled.</p><p>“Who taught you that?” he grinned.</p><p>“Christian” she said, “he said that you would be my husband and he was right. All that time I thought he was on Niall’s side but he was on ours”.</p><p>Max kissed her head and held her, “then we honour him by living our best lives. What was his last name?”</p><p>“I never found out” she said, “I should’ve asked. He had a family back in Munich…sisters”.</p><p>“Then we shall be real life Detectives and find out” Max grinned, “but first; can I kiss you again?”</p><p>His teasing grin made her heart flutter.</p><p>“Oh Max, you never have to ask to do that” she grinned and pulled him into a kiss, happy in the knowledge that they were free to love. Max had helped set her free and in turn, woven himself into her soul.</p><p>And she couldn’t be any happier if she tried.</p><p>“You know…I put a necklace in your jacket” she said after a few minutes of them kissing.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Miranda nodded and pushed her hand into the pocket of the jacket she was wearing. She’d chosen to share her blanket with Max so as she dove into the pocket, Max stroked the back of her wrist.</p><p>She blushed and pulled it out, “I thought maybe…maybe when this is all over it could help us to start our lives”.</p><p>Max grinned and kissed her, “thinking so fast and so far ahead is just one of those many many reasons that I love you Miranda”.</p><p>“Well we’ve got a lifetime together for you to tell me the other reasons” she teased and hugged him tightly.</p><p>“Zeit auf unserer Seite Schatz” he stated and kissed her head, “zeit auf unserer Seite”.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Zeit auf unserer Seite Schatz- Time on Our side</p><p> </p><p>Well that's it! Titanic AU is done!!! There are many many more AU's planned but this is the end of M&amp;M on the Titanic....sneak peak of the next AU</p><p>"“You. Are. A. What?!”<br/>“A Vampire"</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope this makes you guys cry with all the content I am blessing ya with :'P But also cry with feels!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>